Arithmetic
- Oy vey. Matilda is having a hard time, because she wishes her parents weren't so awful.
- The only thing that keeps her going is her plot of playing revenge pranks. While the parrot-ghost bought her a week of relative peace, it can't last forever.
- Soon enough, trouble strikes again.
- One night, the family is waiting to have dinner. Mr. Wormwood had what he thinks is a great day at work, because he sold five cars.
- He makes up a story problem for Mike based on what he bought each car for and resold it at. (Side note: can you imagine if Mr. Wormwood were your math teacher? Yuck.)
- Mike tells their dad he's great and smart, and Mr. Wormwood boasts about one of his special marketing tools.
- Even so, the math is way too complicated for Mike, who writes all the numbers down and can't do the total in his head.
- When he starts adding it up, Matilda jumps in with the answer.
- Obviously, she did it immediately, in her head.
- Mr. Wormwood just tries to ignore her, but Matilda sticks up for herself and asks him to double-check it.
- Oh no. Her dad's horrified to discover that Matilda was right, and promptly accuses her of being "a cheat and a liar." He says that Matilda must have sneaked over to see the answer, which he'd written down, but she tells him that it wasn't physically possible.
- Then, Mrs. Wormwood interrupts everyone, coming in with their food.
- At dinner, Mr. Wormwood makes them watch TV, and won't let Matilda defend herself against the idea that she's a cheater.