Newton's Binomial Theorem 



light on the path. The solution is found. 

 My pupil triumphs; so do I, but silently, in 

 my inner consciousness, which says : 



'You understand, because you succeed in 

 making another understand.' 



The hour passed quickly and very pleas- 

 antly for both of us. My young man was 

 contented when he left me; and I no less so, 

 for I perceived a new and original way of 

 learning things. 



The ingenious and easy arrangement of the 

 binomial gave me time to tackle my algebra- 

 book from the proper commencement. In 

 three or four days, I had rubbed up my 

 weapons. There was nothing to be said 

 about addition and subtraction : they were so 

 simple as to force themselves upon one at 

 first sight. Multiplication spoilt things. 

 There was a certain rule of signs which de- 

 clared that minus multiplied by minus made 

 plus. How I toiled over that wretched para- 

 dox ! It would seem that the book did not 

 explain this subject clearly, or rather em- 

 ployed too abstract a method. I read, reread 

 and meditated in vain: the obscure text re- 

 tained all its obscurity. That is the drawback 

 of books in general : they tell you what is 

 printed in them and nothing more. If you 



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