25 Amazing Facts About Mathematics
Even if math wasn’t your favorite subject, it’s hard to argue with the fact that it plays a huge role in our lives.
Although numbers surround us everywhere, we attach special importance to some of them.
If math has always seemed like a difficult science to all, you are not mistaken. But even it has several loopholes that make it easier to understand. We have collected 25 interesting facts from mathematics to make you a genius.
Fact 1. The sum of the numbers on opposite sides of the dice is always seven
Fact 2. Zero is an even number
Some will say that this is knowledge of the level of the school, but for others, it is not at all what they have ever thought about.
“Every year I ask my freshmen a specific set of questions to get them to flex their brains,” says Stephen. – This is one of them because it casts doubt on the very definition of an even number. I always get the same results: everyone in the audience says they know what an even number is, but few are willing to stand up and say that zero is one of them. “
For clarity, the correct definition of an even number is as follows: a number is considered even if it remains whole when divided by 2. Zero fits this rule, because 0: 2 = 0.
Fact 3. Counting interest is not as difficult as it seems
Did you know that x% of y = y% of x?
This formula can make calculating percentages much easier. For example, try mental 8% of 50. It’s not easy. Now turn the example over and count 50% of 8 – it’s much easier.
Similarly, it is more difficult to calculate 32% of 75 than 75% of 32, which seems like an easier task.
Fact 4. Every odd number in English contains the letter “e”.
Fact 5. (Four) is the only number when written in English, the number of letters corresponds to the number itself.
Fact 6. If you count the number of letters in the name of 13 playing cards in English, you get 52 letters, exactly as many playing cards in the deck (excluding jokers).
In English, the ace is ace, two is two, three is three, four is four, five is five, six is six, seven is seven, eight is eight, nine is nine, tens is ten, jack is jack, the queen is queen, king – king.
Fact 7. The only number that is written in English letters in alphabetical order is 40 (forty)
And the only number that is written in English letters in reverse alphabetical order is 1 (one).
Fact 8. The cake can be divided into 8 equal pieces into just three movements
They say that in some companies this question is asked during an interview – this is how HRs check the candidate’s thinking outside the box.
The key to the correct answer is to think of cake not as a two-dimensional circle, as most people do, but as a three-dimensional cylinder, which it is. This approach allows you to make not only standard vertical cuts but also horizontal cuts.
So, if you are using two notches to form a cross on the top of the cake, effectively dividing it into four equal pieces, make a third horizontal notch in the center of the cake, dividing each of the four pieces in half. This will give you 8 identical pieces.
Fact 9. Most likely, in a crowded room, at least two will have a birthday on the same day
Sounds a little abstract. In particular, what does “crowded room” mean, and how likely is “likely”. Correcting the situation.
It turns out that if there are 23 people in a room, there is a 50% chance that two of them were born on the same day.
Yes, at first glance it seems completely illogical. Let us reinforce that feeling by saying that if the number of people in a room increases to 75, the chance that two of them will have a birthday on the same day rises to 99.9%!
This phenomenon is known as the “birthday paradox” (or the birthday problem), and if you are interested, we recommend that you get to know it a little closer.
Fact 10. In 6 weeks, exactly 10! Seconds
For those who don’t know, for any positive integer n, n! which is called “n factorial”, it is the product of all positive integers less than or equal to n. So, for example, factorial 5 is 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1.
And to make sure 6 weeks = 10! seconds, let’s convert weeks to seconds.
6 weeks = 6 × 7 days = 6 × 7 × 24 hours = 6 × 7 × 24 × 60 minutes = 6 × 7 × 24 × 60 × 60 seconds.
Now let’s try to rewrite everything in the form of factorials:
6 × 7 × 24 × 60 × 60 = 6 × 7 × (3 × 8) × (2 × 3 × 10) × (5 × 3 × 4) = 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 10!
Fact 11. The number of milliseconds in a day is 5⁵ × 4⁴ × 3³ × 2² × 1¹
Fact 12. Multiplying ones always give palindromic numbers
Palindrome numbers are numbers that are written the same in both forward and backward directions. For example, 23432.
So, if we multiply 1 by 1, we get 1. A slightly weak example, so we suggest continuing.
11 × 11 = 121
111 × 111 = 12321
1111 × 1111 = 1234321
etc. If you multiply 111111111 × 111111111, you get 12345678987654321.
In addition, it is not at all necessary that the first and second factors consist of the same number of ones. So, 11 × 1111 = 12221 and
111111 × 1111 = 123444321.
Fact 13. 18 is the only number that is twice the sum of its digits.
While this is easy to test for truth in the case of 18, it is much more difficult to verify that 18 is the only number for which it is true.
Fact 14. The repeating decimal fraction 0.9999 … equals one
Here is a fairly simple proof of this statement:
Let x = 0.9999 …
Multiplying both sides of the equation by ten, we get
10x = 9.9999 …
If you subtract x = 0.9999 … from both sides, we get
10x – x = (9.9999 …) – (0.9999 …)
⇒ 9x = 9
⇒ x = 1.
A similar fact is true for any number containing an infinite string of nines.
For example, 0.4999…. = 0.5
19,999 … = 20
−2.999 … = −3.
This statement can also be proved through the limits of sequences.
Fact 15. Number π is irrational, that is, it cannot be represented as a fraction
Ancient civilizations knew the value of π to within two decimal places, and by the fifth century, Chinese mathematicians brought it closer to seven decimal places. The number π is irrational, that is, it cannot be represented as a fraction (as the ratio of two integers), and its decimal representation never ends.
Fact 16. “4” is considered unlucky. 
In Asia, “4” is considered an unlucky number. Even many buildings built in China and a number of other Asian countries do not have a 4th floor (the 3rd is immediately followed by the 5th). In Asia, even a phobia such as tetraphobia has emerged. This is an irrational fear of the “four”.
Fact 17. You’ve heard of magic 1089. Why is it magic?
Example. Pick any number with three different digits, for example, 254. Write it down in reverse order 452 and subtract 254 from it. You get 198. Now add 198 written backward. You get the following: 198 + 891 = 1089.
Let’s take another three-digit number, for example, 762. Write it backward and subtract it. 267-762 = 495. Now we add 495 and 594, we get the same 1089.
Fact 18. Roman numerals were invented as a means of trading.
The record-keeping form was used by the Romans as a means of easily valuing various goods and services, and was widely used throughout the Roman Empire for day-to-day processes. After the Roman Empire fell, Roman numerals were still used throughout Europe. Their use in Europe ceased around the 1600s.
Fact 19. Six is the smallest perfect number.
In number theory, perfect is a positive integer equal to the sum of its positive divisors. For example “6” it looks like this: 1 + 2 + 3 = 6, where 1,2 and 3 are divisors of six. Following “6” is “28”. It consists of the sum of its 5 divisors – 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14.
Fact 20. On the Internet, to express laughter, they often write “hahaha”.
But did you know that Thais often write “555” during the correspondence to express laughter? What is causing this? The fact is that 5 in Thai is written as ห้า. That is, if we write 55, then in Thai it will sound like “haha”, if 555 – “hahaha”.
Fact 21. There is such a disease as dyscalculia.
This is a syndrome in which a person is unable to learn arithmetic. People with dyscalculia cannot recognize the number of objects in their field of vision. For example, if there are 5 books on the table, then a person cannot understand that there are five of them. Also, people with dyscalculia cannot understand why 2 + 2 = 4 and 5-3 = 2.
Fact 22. These numbers were named after the Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci, who introduced Europe to the decimal system and Arabic numerals.
Fibonacci numbers are sequence numbers in the following order:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, …
Moreover, each next number is equal to the sum of the two previous numbers.
The Fibonacci sequence is observed in nature in plants and animals, in the pattern of sunflower seeds, pineapple, pinecone, and even the human body (one nose, two eyes, three segments of the limbs, five fingers on the hand).
Fact 23. The golden mean or golden ratio is approximately 1.6180339887, which describes the universal perfect proportions in science and art.
Two quantities are in the golden ratio if the ratio of these quantities to the greater is the same as the ratio between the greater and the lesser value.
Many artists and architects have used the golden ratio in their work, as these are the proportions that are considered aesthetically pleasing.
Fact 24. The number 666 is best known for what is considered the number of the beast or the number of the devil in the Bible, which mentions: ” Here is wisdom. He who has intelligence, count the number of the beast, for the number is human; its number is six hundred and sixty-six .”
Many consider this number to be unfortunate, satanic, a sign of the antichrist and avoid it. The fear of the number 666 is called hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. There are also those who believe that in fact the translation was inaccurate and the number of the beast is 616.
Fact 25. What will happen after a million, billion, and trillion?
Quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion, octillion, nonillion, decillion and undecillion. eight. 1 x 8 + 1 = 9 12 x 8 + 2 = 98 123 x 8 + 3 = 987 1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876 12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765 123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654 1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543 12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432 123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
Concluding Remarks
After knowing these amazing facts regarding mathematics, we are sure that you will not find this subject “Uncool” now!
Furthermore, if you are looking for additional help for your child to learn mathematics, you must check out our online learning platform Easylore. We have experienced mathematics tutors who are well-versed in their skills. Contact us to get connected with the best tutors!
