mathematical digest number 130 page 2
Abbott and Costello maths.
"13 times 7 is 28"
Lou Costello proves to Bud Abbott that 13 times 7 is 28.
This is a very funny clip from the movie "A Little Giant" made in 1946.
Lou is asking bud for a job as a vacuum cleaner salesman.
Here is the script for the beginning of the clip.
Lou "Mr Chairman, twenty-eight vacuums a week, thats a lot of vacuums to sell, and you only have seven salesmen."
Bud "Certainly."
Lou "That means they gotta sell thirteen vacuums a piece."
Bud "You're right. Thirteen vacuum cleaners a piece. "
Lou "Yes, sir."
Bud thinks for a moment
Bud "What are you talking about? 7 times 13 is not 28. "
Lou "Yes it is."
Bud "7 times 4 is 28."
Lou "Mr Chairman, 7 times 13 is 28."
Bud "7 times 4 is 28."
Bud thinks again.
Bud "Did you ever go to school, stupid?"
Lou "Yes sir, and I came out the same way."
Bud "Come here a minute. You claim that 7 goes into 28, 13 times."
Lou "Thats right."
Bud "Go ahead. Prove it. Prove it. Prove it. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead."
Lou “I am going to divide”
7 ) 28 ( 13
-7
21
Lou “Multiply. Put down 13 and 7.”
13
x7
21
+7
28
Lou “Put down 13 seven times. We will add these up.”
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
Lou “Now 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.
13 + 13 + 13 +13 +13 +13 +13 = 28 “
Questions!
What a lot of nonsense!!
Where is he going wrong??
There is another 13 x 7 = 28 routine in an Abbott and Costello movie.
It is from the movie "In the Navy" and it was made in 1941.
Lou obtains the same result when he multiplies 13 times 7.
Here is the clip.
Here is virtually the same wrong arithmetic problem but this time it is from an old movie made in 1951.
The movie is called "Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm".
Again the same reasoning is used for dividing, multiplying, and adding!
Question!
Where did they go wrong??
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