|
What is your Favorite Number?
|
| Revenge |
Posted on 09/09/2013 17:04:51
|
Super Admin
Posts: 1297
Joined: 28.06.12
|
The title says it all, what is your favorite number?
My favorite is 16. The reasons are below..
4^2 = 16
2^4 = 16
4*4 = 16 (same as 4^2 obviously)
Those 4's can be broken down into two 2s.
It is a very square number.
4 units per side on a square = 16 perimeter.
Computers are based on 8/16/32/64 bits (currently).
It is the smallest number with the most divisors (1,2,4,8, 16).
While mentioning 4^2/2^4, it is the only number than has m^n = n^m be the same ( m=4, n=2).
 |
| |
|
|
| ninja |
Posted on 09/09/2013 17:36:56
|
Super Admin
Posts: 4174
Joined: 15.11.10
|
Revenge wrote:
The title says it all, what is your favorite number?
My favorite is 16. The reasons are below..
4^2 = 16
2^4 = 16
4*4 = 16 (same as 4^2 obviously)
Those 4's can be broken down into two 2s.
It is a very square number.
4 units per side on a square = 16 perimeter.
Computers are based on 8/16/32/64 bits (currently).
It is the smallest number with the most divisors (1,2,4,8, 16).
While mentioning 4^2/2^4, it is the only number than has m^n = n^m be the same ( m=4, n=2).
What do you mean by very square? What do you mean by 'smallest number with the most divisors' too?
The m^n = n^m is an interesting fact. I had a question about that (I think it was to find all the solutions, and prove those were the only ones) in a practice university interview.
---
I like most numbers, so it's quite hard to pick just one but if you forced me I'd probably go for zero ...
It can be silent: x + 0 = x
... or deadly: x * 0 = 0
... predictable: x ^ 0 = 1
... or tricky: 0 ^ 0 = ?
... no-nonsense: x / 0 = Yikes!
... or interesting: 0! = 1
Zero is also really powerful. For example, when solving equations, if a product of factors equals zero it implies that at least one of the factors is zero itself. xy = 0 implies x and/or y = 0. (This is due to the nonexistence of zero divisors.)
It also hasn't been around for as long as other integers, despite being more awesome.
Modern number systems wouldn't work without zero - it plays a fundamental role as a place-holder in numbers so that we can distinguish 1 from 10 and 1000000.
---
What about non-integers?
My brain is open.
- Paul Erdős |
| |
|
|
| llamas |
Posted on 09/09/2013 19:04:33
|
Wanker
Posts: 508
Joined: 05.09.12
|
I like 3 and 7. Idk why, I just like them. o.0 |
| |
|
|
| JP |
Posted on 09/09/2013 19:04:47
|
ShawnPeezy
Posts: 3379
Joined: 10.01.12
|
My favorite number is....21 because..... I was borned the 21st september.....
 |
| |
|
|
| BuhBiggieback |
Posted on 09/09/2013 19:25:20
|
Wanker
Posts: 582
Joined: 18.07.13
|
666 I have a birthmark that looks like it.
 |
| |
|
|
| Vulture |
Posted on 09/09/2013 21:06:29
|
Newbie
Posts: 0
Joined: 25.08.12
|
Mine is just 6. 
 Proud to be in the Jajaja group! |
| |
|
|
| MasterA |
Posted on 09/09/2013 21:17:25
|
Super Admin
Posts: 2582
Joined: 21.07.11
|
My fav number is A
 |
| |
|
|
| Revenge |
Posted on 09/09/2013 21:29:07
|
Super Admin
Posts: 1297
Joined: 28.06.12
|
0 is a significantly important number as Ninja says, that might be my second or third favorite.
I like..
"... no-nonsense: x / 0 = Yikes!
... or interesting: 0! = 1"
That "Yikes" line makes me laugh more than it should.
Non-interger...
It would be the Square Root of 2. It has many real life applications, historical value, and can be found with Pythagoras' Theorem. Most paper is based on some form of this root, and many relevant calculations can be made with the theorem that is involved with it.
The Square Root of -1 is cool too because of its bizarre properties and I like the fallacies that can be made with manipulating it. Pretty interesting stuff.
|
| |
|
|
| ninja |
Posted on 09/10/2013 07:58:15
|
Super Admin
Posts: 4174
Joined: 15.11.10
|
Revenge wrote:
It would be the Square Root of 2. It has many real life applications, historical value, and can be found with Pythagoras' Theorem. Most paper is based on some form of this root, and many relevant calculations can be made with the theorem that is involved with it.
I have an origami book of models based upon the square root of 2 (i.e. A series paper) - I must try out some more models from it; maybe I'll upload them to my member art page.
What are these real-life applications? (And how dare you speak of real life in a number theoretical discussion?!)
I like the (probably fictitious) story of how a Pythagorean (Hippasus) was thrown overboard for having discovered an irrational number - destroying the group's belief that everything in the world can be reduced to a ratio of two whole numbers!
The standard reductio ad absurdum proof of the irrationality of root 2 is one of the most elegant proofs, I think.
Revenge wrote:
The Square Root of -1 is cool too because of its bizarre properties and I like the fallacies that can be made with manipulating it. Pretty interesting stuff.
... getting rather complex now! I like your profile picture, by the way - very clever!
----------------
Again, there are too many to choose from (in fact, many many more irrational numbers than rational numbers - that perhaps being more interesting than any single number) - for me it's most likely a choice between e (base of the national logarithm) and phi (the golden ratio).
Phi is pretty cool - it's a beautifully simple ratio that satisfies: (a+b)/a = a/b.
I love the fact that 1/phi = 1/(1.618...) = 0.618... = phi - 1
There are some great formulas for phi: we don't have LaTeX on this forum, but these links should work ...
http://www.forkos...s%7D%7D%7D
http://www.forkos...D%7D%7D%7D
e is probably the best - it's literally everywhere in mathematics. There are loads of cool infinite approximations for it ... it's the God of calculus (and a good starting point for jokes on the matter) ... it's a great way to represent complex numbers (and gives rise to Euler's awesome formula e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0).
My brain is open.
- Paul Erdős |
| |
|
|
| Vulture |
Posted on 09/10/2013 11:56:45
|
Newbie
Posts: 0
Joined: 25.08.12
|
I'm surprised no one's favorite number is 1337. 
Proud to be in the Jajaja group! |
| |
|
|
| ZA BrickSquad |
Posted on 09/10/2013 18:10:14
|
ShawnPeezy
Posts: 5303
Joined: 12.05.11
|
My favorite number is 7! |
| |
|
|
| ODST |
Posted on 09/11/2013 07:59:49
|
Super Admin
Posts: 2047
Joined: 11.09.12
|
Favorite number? I would have to say 1. Why? BECAUSE IM NUMBER FOOLS!! lol jk, good reason though, but the real one is that 1 is a factor of every number. You can always factor 1 out of any number you come across. ;D
Non-interger well that would be pi, or natural log. Both are amazing numbers ;D and on is rly good to eat on its national holiday.
�RG� (Renegade Gamers) Senior Admin
[C�R] Veteren
^Don't mess with ODST 
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? |
| |
|
|
| ninja |
Posted on 09/11/2013 08:47:02
|
Super Admin
Posts: 4174
Joined: 15.11.10
|
ODST wrote:
Favorite number? I would have to say 1. Why? BECAUSE IM NUMBER FOOLS!! lol jk, good reason though, but the real one is that 1 is a factor of every number. You can always factor 1 out of any number you come across. ;D
Non-interger well that would be pi, or natural log. Both are amazing numbers ;D and on is rly good to eat on its national holiday.
I agree, 1 is cool.
log is a function, not a number!
My brain is open.
- Paul Erdős |
| |
|
