Tag: order

December 20, 2012

December 20th, 2012

Dear Number Mavens,

Yesterday we talked about repeating and terminating decimals. In looking at whether unit fractions repeated or terminated, we found some interesting patterns. We found that having primes (except 2 or 5) as the denominator led to repeating fractions, and we saw something neat about multiples of 3. Today, we’ll look closer at the amazing repeating patterns that occur when we’re dealing with sevenths.

142857 is one of many magical numbers in our number system. When we stretch that number or cut it up into pieces, it does some mind-boggling things. If you’re still of the belief that numbers are just numbers–dry, boring things that have no relevance to your real life–142,857 is probably enough to convince you that our number system has a deep order to it, and it can model the deep order of the real world.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck
December 19, 2012

December 19th, 2012

Dear Collectors,

“The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”

–Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was younger, I collected pennies. I had a few Indian-head pennies, and every once in a while I’d find a wheat penny, but mostly my collection was bottles full of plain, boring, 1 cent pennies. But my pennies taught me a lot–about geography, Presidents, US history, and about the nature of collecting.

Collectors pay attention to the things others overlook. Because this world is full of hidden knowledge and wonder, close attention is always rewarded with insight and beauty. It doesn’t matter what items a collector collects. It could be coins, stamps, football cards, stuffed animals, or pens. Whatever it is that you collect, your collection will teach you how to make sense of the world, and it will renew your appreciation of the wonderful world we inhabit.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Tag: order

December 20, 2012

December 19, 2012