Math In Ender's Game

Since the dawn of time, mathematics has been one of the most important fields of study in the world. Throughout the ages, the significance of mathematics has increased and has caused a plethora of new technological advances, such as the cell phone, computer, and calculator. One book that shows the importance of math is Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. The novel tells the story of a small boy named Ender Wiggins who travels into outer space to fight alien invaders known as “buggers.” Ender is unlike any other boy in the universe, however; he is outstandingly brilliant. He has mastered the art of mathematics before he has turned ten years old, and he uses this to survive and excel in Battle School. The Battle School, a training school for small boys to learn how to fight the buggers, host several “games” where two armies fight …show more content…
This can first be seen when Ender plays the holographic game when he first arrives to the Battle School. Ender, being completely fascinated by the game, began studying it, and within an hour, he “understood the rules the computer was following, so that he knew he could always… outmaneuver the enemy” (78). He then challenged an older boy who had been playing the game for years and won. This was the first sign that Ender was incredibly brilliant, but he didn’t stop there. Ender was the first boy to ever beat the Free Play game, a game that was impossible to win. Ender managed to think his way through every challenge that the game gave him, recognize the sequence, develop a plan to manipulate it, and then execute his plan until he beat the game. His victory shocked every commander of the Battle School and confirmed their suspicions that he was the smartest boy in the universe. Recognizing sequences was not Ender’s only talent, however; he is incredibly innovative in his though