为什么学习微积分

I took calculus my senior year of high school, and I really liked the way our teacher framed this on the first day of class.

He asked somebody to raise their hand and ask him when we would use calculus in our everyday life. So one student rose their hand and asked, “When are we going to use this in our everyday life?”

“NEVER!!” the teacher exclaimed. “You will never use calculus in your normal, everyday life. In fact, very few of you will use it in your professional careers either.” Then he paused. “So would you like to know why should care?”

高中的最后一年，我的学校开设了微积分课。

第一堂课就有学生提问："老师，日常生活哪里会用到微积分？"

老师回答："用不到，你永远不会在日常生活中使用微积分。事实上，你们中不少人，在未来的职业中也用不到微积分。"

Several us nodded.

He picked out one of the varsity football players in the class. “You practice football a lot during the week, right Tim?” asked the teacher.

“Yeah,” replied Tim. “Almost every day.”

“Do you and your teammates ever lift weights during practice?”

“Yeah. Tuesdays and Thursdays we spend a lot of practice in the weight room.”

他看着学生迷惑不解的表情，又说："你们想知道为什么要学微积分吗？"

我们几个学生点了点头。

他指着班里的一位校足球队的同学问道："你们经常练习足球，是吗？"

"是的，"学生回答道。"差不多每天都练。"

"教练给你们安排举重练习吗？"

"是的。每周二和周四，我们都要去举重室练习。"

“But why?” asked the teacher. “Is there ever going to be a play your coach tells you use during a game that requires you to bench press the other team?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then why lift weights?”

“Because it makes us stronger,” said Tim.

“Bingo!!” said the teacher. “It’s the same thing with calculus. You’re not here because you’re going to use calculus in your everyday life. You’re here because calculus is weightlifting for your brain.”

And I’ve never forgotten that.

"这是为什么？" 老师问。"为什么足球运动员要练举重？难道是为了在球场上推倒别人吗？"

"不，当然不是。"

"那为什么要举重？"

"因为它让我们变得更强大，"同学说。

"答对了！" 老师说。"微积分也是如此。你学习微积分，不是因为要在日常生活中使用，而是因为它让你的思维变得更强大。"

我从来没有忘记这堂课。