Something Minor

At a college with a shady reputation, the new dean responded to investigations into the basketball team by suspending any basketball player who wasn’t maintaining a passing average. Furious, the coach came storming into the dean’s office, followed by one of his star players.

“You can’t keep him from playing!” the coach roared. “We won’t win this weekend without him!”

“I don’t care,” the dean said. “Things have gotten out of hand at this college.”

“What do you mean, out of hand?” the coach demanded.

“I’ll show you what I mean,” the dean said. He turned to the basketball player and said, “Tell me,how much is six times seven?”(6×7=?)

The player thought for several seconds. Then he said, “Thirty-one?”(31)

The dean turned to the coach and said, “I rest my case.”

“Oh, come on now,” the coach said. “Why are you making such a big deal of it? After all, he only missed it by one.”(32)