Hua Luogeng (1910-1985) was a famous Chinese mathematician, an academician of China Academy of Sciences and the founder and pioneer of many fields in new China's mathematics research. He wrote more than 200 thesis and monographs, many of which have become classic documents of immortal value.

Besides pure mathematics research, Hua also did a lot of work in the fields of mathematics applications. He made the mathematics serve the national economy and became the first Chinese scientist who closely combined the mathematics theoretic studies and practical production, and obtained enormous economic results in many fields.

Hua Luogeng liked maths even from childhood. Once, his father asked him to keep an eye on their family's cotton shop. Hua agreed and did his maths exercises at the same time.

One day, a woman came into the shop and asked Hua how much the cotton was. Hua kept his mind on his maths exercises and told her the result of the maths exercise. The woman cried out, "Why is it so expensive?" Then Hua realized what the woman asked for. He told her the price. The woman bought a bale of cotton and left.

Hua Luogeng wanted to keep on doing his maths exercises, but he couldn't find his scratch paper. It must have been taken away by that woman! Hua got very worried. He rushed out to look for the woman.

Hua Luogeng came up with the woman at last. He told her the whole thing. The woman was moved by Hua. She gave the scratch paper to him. Hua felt relieved. He went back his shop and continued to do his maths exercises.