Math and Chocolate.

I have been bugging quizzing Husband on how to figure things out for the trailer.  I have to limit the trailer to 1800 pounds (or less), for several reasons, not the least of which is that I want to be able to use my small vehicle to carry it.

"You need to figure out how much the plywood will weigh."  He then explained how.  This would have been great, except for the fact he told me right as I was falling asleep, having also been sleeping badly, so I am more than a bit rummy of late.

Soooo, this morning I asked him to explain it again.

He did.

I didn't get it.

I told him what I was going to do, and he told me I was over thinking it.  Gee, like that is a surprise...  (Considering that about a week or so ago,  I was trying to figure out how to plant my garden with the square foot method, and the garden plots are round...  I even came up with A=πr2, driving myself nuts for a bit, until I figured out I didn't really need to worry about the "extra space".) He explained the concept again, and I told him that I was still clueless.

He worked, and talked, and saw my blank expression.  Finally, he looked at the bag of chocolate squares he'd bought me for Valentine's Day, and had given to me a bit early, and took them out.  He methodically laid them out in a rectangle, and yet again, re-explained the concept.  I repeated what he said, then he gave me another simple example, I figured it out, and he seemed pleased. (I now think I should be able to figure out the rest, as soon as I get the sketches finished.)

I then told him that he was going to have to figure the round upper part of the trailer, I was having a hard enough time with the square parts.

He said he could show me how.

I shuddered, and said no, he could figure it out, I wanted to get the weight correct.  He chuckled, and then commented, "Well, even if you don't build this trailer, at least you are learning something."

Chocolate as math.  If this had been available when I was going to school, I might have become a math major!