How to defeat a dragon with math - Garth Sundem

怎么用数字打败巨龙 —— Garth Sundem

Translator: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

翻译人员: Minji Seo 校对人员: Dong Mao

Once upon a time

很久很久以前

in the magical and very round Land of Pi,

在一个圆形土地上的派（Pi）之魔法国度

there lived six swashbuckling musketeers.

住着六位神气活现的剑客

There names were Parentheses,

他们分别叫做“括号”

Exponents,

“指数”

Multiplication,

Division,

“乘”

“除”

Addition,

“加”

and Subtraction.

以及“减”

But each was known best by his or her mark:

但他们的标志更为有名

the two hands ready to catch a fly of Parentheses,

“括号”是一双准备好抓住苍蝿的手

the small and raised digits of Exponents,

“指数”是变小且升高的数字

the mighty X of Multiplication,

一个趾高气扬的X代表“乘”

slash of Division,

斜线代表“除”

plus of Addition,

十字号代表“加”

and, well, you can guess the symbol

以及 嗯 你猜得到哪个标志

by which little Subtraction was best known.

代表小小的“减”

The Land of Pi was not necessarily the most peaceful place,

派之国度并不全然是最和平的国度

and that's why the numbers of the kingdom

这也是为什么住在这王国的数字们

needed the musketeers.

须要这六位剑客

The Land of Pi had been ruled by the numbers

派之国度是有所有数字共同治理的

as anarcho-syndicalist commune,

无政府工团主义自治区

each number with a vote,

每个数字都可以投票

but, one powerful number from what we'll call the Imperial Senate,

但是 一个强大的数字从所谓的帝国元老院

engineered a war between some robot things

发起了一场机器与王国内骑士之间的战争

and the knights of the kingdom,

发起了一场机器与王国内骑士之间的战争

and then installed himself as Supreme Emperor,

接着自己登记为至高无上的统治者

and then Puff the Magic Digit Dragon ate him,

但最后魔法数字龙帕夫

and a princess or two,

吃了帝国元老院和公主

and, well, all the other numbers in the Land of Pi actually.

而且 嗯 还吃了所有派之国度的数字

It was kind of a big day.

这算是非常重要的一天

Anyway, the musketeers were called to action

无论如何 六剑客被征召

to save the Land of Pi from the voracious dragon.

来保卫派之国度 避免被残暴的龙迫害

They rode towards him on their valiant steeds and attacked.

他们骑着他们英勇的战马朝着魔法龙攻击

First Multiplication,

首先是“乘”

then Parentheses,

再来是“括号”

but that didn't work.

但他们失败了

The dragon continued eating people.

魔法龙继续不断地攻击居民

So Addition tried, but was thrown aside.

所以“加”又试着攻击 但被甩了出来

Exponents leaped at the beast

“指数”跃上那头巨兽

and was quickly squashed.

但很快地被压惨了

Nothing was working.

各种方法都没有效

The musketeers huddled and formulated a plan.

六剑客聚在一起讨论一个计划（公式）

They would attack in sequence,

他们要有次序地攻击

but who should go first?

但谁先呢？

They bickered for a while,

他们争吵了一阵子

the dragon ate a few more princesses,

魔法龙又吃了几位公主

and then they finally agreed.

最后他们达成协议了

They jumped into the first, smallest parentheses

他们在数字龙帕夫中 跳进最初、最小的一个括号

inside the great Puff the Digit Dragon.

他们在数字龙帕夫中 跳进最初、最小的一个括号

Parentheses pointed out where to work first

“括号”首先指出哪部份要先攻击

and protected Exponents, Multiplication, Division,

然后保护“指数”、“乘”、“除”

Addition, and Subtraction

“加”、以及“减”

while they diced and sliced.

好让他们将龙大卸八块

First here,

先攻击第一处

then, move over there,

然后移到下一处

then there.

再下一处

Look out! There's another set!

看！那里还有另一团数字！

Parentheses pointed and Exponents took the lead.

“括号”指着 然后“指数”带头

Then, it was Multiplication, Division,

接着是“乘”、“除”

Addition, and Subtraction, each in turn,

“加”、以及“减”，依序攻击

always the same order.

总是照着同样的顺序

P-E-M-D-A-S

P-E-M-D-A-S （括─指─乘─除─加─减）

When they finished that set, they went to another,

当他们完成这团数字 就前往下一处

and another,

再下一处

always working inside the parentheses in PEMDAS order.

总是在括号中依「括指乘除加减」的顺序攻击

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

砰！砰！砰！砰！砰！

PEMDAS, there is another spot!

「括指乘除加减」，那里还有一个斑点！

Don't forget, there can be parentheses inside parentheses.

别忘了 括号里还可以有括号

There's one!

这里就有一个！

And that tricky exponent.

然后是机警的指数

There we go!

我们上吧！

Finally, the PEMDAS Musketeers had whittled Puff

最后 「括指乘除加减」六剑客把帕夫

down to his last fearsome roar.

打到剩最后一口气

But, having vanquished Puff the Magic Digit Dragon,

而在把魔法数字龙帕夫打倒后

all the empire's numbers sprang again from this tiny little number one,

所有王国里的数字居民们 都从这小小的数字一里跳了出来

and they all lived happily ever after.

他们从此过着幸福快乐的日子

Except for the Emperor Number,

除了那个统治者

which they threw into the mouth

他被丢到了沙漠里

of an ancient nesting creature in the desert.

那古代藤蔓植物的口中

The End.

——剧终——