Fun With Fractions

One of my brothers once convinced me I was aging faster than he was.

When I was 8, he was 16.

He pointed out to me that I was half his age.

He then asked how old I’d be when he was 24.

I said 16.

So, he said, I’d be 2/3 his age.

Uh-huh.

Then he asked how old I’d be when he was 32.

I said 24.

So, he said, I’d be 3/4 his age.

Uh … hhhuuuuuhhhhhhhhh.

In conclusion, he said, I was aging faster than he was, and would eventually catch up to him.

Uh … uh?

His timing was perfect. I was young enough to believe everything my big brother said, old enough to understand how fractions work, and not articulate enough to express how he was wrong.

It was a thing of beauty.