MATHEMATICIAN WHO ALONE DEFEATED AN ARMY

    While the mathematician Archimedes was in his 70s, the Syracuse King Hieron was confronted with the greatest army of the age. His country is about to fall.

     The king asks Archimedes, who lives on the island, for help in defending Syracuse. Thanks to Archimedes' work in basic sciences, giant catapults and levers set at 45 ° (their catapults go at 45 degrees to the farthest distance) are used in this war.

     It also burns most enemy ships by reflecting sunlight from the focal point of parabolic mirrors. Although the enemy has attacked several times, they cannot capture the island.

     But they cannot stand the prolonged siege any longer and have to find new techniques. Archimedes' last technique was to frighten the enemy by hanging ropes down from the castle. Indeed, the Romans were afraid and withdrew, saying this is still thinking about something. 

***

     One day Archimedes is by the sea to get away from the chaos in the city and complete the unfinished operations. While drawing figures on the sand with a stick, one of the soldiers approaches. He doesn't even look back at the Roman soldier who poked him… It is rumored that he challenged the Roman soldier and said “don't break my shapes”.

***

     “Don't spoil my shapes…” Most of the people who can't understand you when you struggle for something are no different than Roman soldiers. They harass you and disappear into the crowd as if nothing had happened. Their missions are not yet completed. In order to feed, they have to find new people to break their hearts with, to neutralize them. They maintain these features with great effort (!) As long as they live. 

    

elif.s.a/Selen NARİN AKGÜN/Gazi Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School/Ankara