40 Quirky and Fascinating Facts about Mathematics

Mathematicians have tried in vain to this day to discover some order in the sequence of prime numbers, and we have reason to believe that it is a mystery into which the human mind will never penetrate.

Leonhard Euler

Glad you came by. I wanted to let you know I appreciate your spending time here at the blog very much. I do appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule to check out Math1089!

Mathematics, the universal language of numbers, shapes, and patterns, is often seen as a serious and rigorous discipline. However, beneath its surface lies a realm of quirky and fascinating facts that can surprise and amuse even the most ardent mathematicians. Here are 40 such delightful insights into the world of mathematics.

These quirky facts only scratch the surface of the fascinating world of mathematics. From mind-boggling numbers to peculiar shapes and patterns, mathematics continues to captivate our imagination. So the next time you encounter a math problem, remember that behind the formulas and equations lie a wealth of intriguing and amusing discoveries.

• Did you know that the word mathematics comes from the Greek word mathēma, which means knowledge or learning?

• The number 142857 has a unique property: when multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, the digits rearrange to form the original number.

• The sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666.

• 144 is the largest square in the Fibonacci sequence.

• A positive integer is called a square-cube number if it is simultaneously a square and a cube. There are infinitely many such numbers like 0, 1, 64, 729, 4096, 15625 and so on.

• Have you ever wondered why the division symbol (÷) looks like a fraction? It’s because division is essentially a fraction in reverse. For example, 20 ÷ 2 is the same as 20/2.

• There are numbers whose squares end in the same digits. For example, 76 and 76² = 5776. Can you find one more example?

• 4² = 2⁴ is the only positive integer solution of x^y = y^x, assuming that x ≠ y.

• The numbers 0 and 1 share the same factorial value. In fact, 0! = 1, and similarly, 1! = 1.

• There are only seven indeterminate forms in mathematics. They are:

0/0,  ∞/∞,  0 × ∞,  ∞ ‒ ∞,  0⁰,  ∞⁰,  1^∞.

• 9814072356 (= 99066²) is the largest perfect square number with all the digits (used exactly once) 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

• The word algebra comes from the Arabic word al-jabr, which means reunion of broken parts. This reflects the concept of solving equations by bringing terms together.

• The recurring decimal 0.9999. . . is exactly equal to 1.

• The sum of primes up to 13 is equal to the 13th prime.

• Start with 82 and go backwards to 1: 82818079787776757473727170696867666564636261605958575655545352515049484746454443424140393837363534333231302928272625242322212019181716151413121110987654321. This number is prime!

• The 3 × 3 × 3 Rubik’s Cube contains 26 unique miniature cubes (known as cubies).

• 18 is the only number that is twice the sum of its digits.

• Hellin’s law states that twins occur once in 89 births, triplets once in 89² births, and quadruplets once in 89³ births, and so forth.

• Six Weeks = 10! Seconds. In fact,

6 weeks = 42 days

= 1,008 hours

= 60,480 minutes

= 3,628,800 seconds

= 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 seconds.

• There are 365 days in a non-leap year, however, the number 365 also has a very curious property, as shown here:

365 = 10² + 11² + 12²

365 = 13² + 14².

• A jiffy is an actual unit of time. It means (1/100) ^th of a second.
• The number 9 is considered a mystical number in mathematics. When multiplying any number by 9 and adding the digits of the result repeatedly, the sum will always be 9.
• 3 is the only natural number that is equal to the sum of all the terms below it.
• 26 is the number of complete miles in a marathon (26 miles and 385 yards to be exact).
• 91 is the numerical value of the Hebrew word amen.
• The number 19 is the last of the teen numbers.
• There are 177147 ways to tie a tie.
• The Rule of Three, also known as the Rule of Proportion has been used by various civilizations throughout history. It relates three numbers in a proportional relationship.
• If you love baking, you may find a connection between baking and mathematics. In baking, there are often recipes that use a simple ratio, such as the 3:2:1 ratio, to achieve best results. This ratio suggests using 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat (such as butter or oil), and 1 part sugar.
• The number 19 is the largest prime that is a palindrome in Roman numerals (XIX).
• Also, 2520 = 7 (number of days in a week) × 12 (number of months in a year) × 30 (number of days in a year).
• A Baker’s dozen actually consists of 13 items (rather than the usual 12).
• The 35th anniversary is commonly referred to as the Coral Anniversary. It’s a perfect occasion to celebrate by visiting a destination renowned for coral reefs.
• Double 7! to get the exact number of minutes in a week. In fact

1 week = 7 days

= 7 × 24 × 60 minutes

= 2 × (1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7) minutes

= 2 × 7! minutes.

• Four-legged chairs are widely recognized as the prevailing form of seating furniture. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that a chair can maintain its stability with just three legs while accommodating a seated individual.

• In a – b, a is called the minuend and b the subtrahend.

• The Möbius strip, a fascinating mathematical object, is a loop with only one side and one edge. Surprisingly, if you were to cut it down the middle, you would obtain a single, elongated loop rather than two separate pieces.

• When a two-digit number added to its reverse, the sum is always divisible by 11.
• 1458 is one of three numbers which, when its base 10 digits are added together, produces a sum which, when multiplied by its reversed self, yields the original number:
  • 1 + 4 + 5 + 8 = 18
  • 18 × 81 = 1458
• The number of milliseconds in a day is equal to 5⁵ × 4⁴ × 3³ × 2² × 1¹

In fact,

1 day has 24 = 2 × 3 × 4 hours

1 hour has 60 = 3 × 4 × 5 minutes

1 minute has 60 = 3 × 4 × 5 seconds

1 second has 1000 = 2 × 4 × 5 × 5 × 5 milliseconds

Thus, 1 day = 2 × 3 × 4 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 2 × 4 × 5 × 5 × 5 milliseconds

= 5⁵ × 4⁴ × 3³ × 2² × 1¹ milliseconds.

This blog is as much yours as it is mine. So, if you have got some ideas to share what you want to see in the next post, feel free to drop a line. We welcome your ideas with open arms and reverence! Looking forward to seeing you soon on “Math1089 – Mathematics for All” for another fascinating mathematics blog.