Who cares?
No one.

See Geoff's sister practise scales on the piano in the background?
Who cares about scales? No one.

But by doing scales for hours, weeks, months, even years, she just may learn to play the piano. That may be useful for the rest of her life.

In a similar way, if Geoff does these word problems in maths (for hours, weeks, months, even years), he just may learn to think a problem through clearly. And that may be useful for the rest of his life.

(I wonder what the moviemakers intended in this scene...)

The End of the Golden Weather (NZ 1991)
(Best Film and Best Director, New Zealand Film Awards)
(seen in the Wonderworks series on US TV)
Stephen Fulford as Geoff

In 1936 New Zealand, Geoff, a 12-year-old boy with a vivid imagination, befriends Firpo, a mentally challenged man. When people make fun of Firpo, Geoff sees how hurtful it is. When Geoff's father forbids him to see Firpo, what will he do?