This is the story of three heroes, X, Y, and Z, who went on a mission against a most nefarious foe, known as The System, and in the process found themselves. Starring Dwayne Johnson as X, Scarlett Johansson as Y, and Idris Elba as Z.
(adapted from the novel, Algebra 2 Common Core, by Randall I. Charles et al.)
The story opens with the trio’s first encounter with three armies of The System:
{ x + y + 2z = 3
{ 2x + y + 3z = 7
{ -x - 2y + z = 10
The Three clearly knew they were mismatched, but they had to continue: The mission was too important. “I’ll hold them off!”, X bravely exclaimed. “Go on without me!”. And though he fought valiantly, while Y and Z fled deeper into enemy territory, eventually he found himself trapped, first between the first and third armies, and then between the third army, now fighting twice as hard, and the second, and was captured.
Y and Z, approaching The System’s fortress, now find themselves confronting a perimeter sweep from the armies, and although they were weakened by X’s valiant last stand, and reorganized into two armies, they could tell that it was still too much.
{ - y + 3z = 13
{ -3y + 5z = 27
“The mission is more important than either of us!”, cried Y. You know what has to happen. Just promise me that you’ll finish the job!" And so Z grimly continued on, even as Y sacrificed herself to give him a chance, and was in turn captured by The System’s forces.
Finally, Z, now alone, had made his way to the heart of the enemy’s strength, the very citadel of The System, and faced an elite force, veteran from fighting his brave comrades:
{ -3(3z - 13) + 5z = 27
But The System wasn’t the only one who had gained experience. Z, finally, knew how to deal with this enemy. Cleverly, he tricked them into distribute their forces:
{ -9z +39 + 5z = 27
and when they had recombined, they landed right where he wanted them:
{ -4z = -12
“I am three!”, shouted Z, as he finished dealing with The System’s forces, and accomplished his mission. But it’s not over yet: We leave no variable behind. And so, Z reversed his steps, back to the site of the fateful battle where Y had fallen. There was the foe, now guarding the prison where Y was held captive:
{ - y + 3z = 13
Flinging himself at the weakest point of the foes, and shouting again his battlecry of “I am three!”, he quickly struck the first of the armies:
{ -y +3(3) = 13
and with that opening, dashed in to rescue Y. And the two, now reunited and revived in purpose, set off together to rescue X.
{ x - y + 2z = 3
First, Z struck again, “I am three!”
{ x + y + 2(3) = 3
only for his cries to be joined by Y’s call of “I am negative four!”
{ x + (-4) + 2(3) = 3
And so, fighting side by side, Y and Z were able to defeat the last of The System, and liberate their brother in arms X. “I’m one”, said he in gratitude, as they all strode off into the sunset.