Tuesday, July 16, 2013

I'm Liking This Number!

I am given to partiality toward numerical trivia and oddities. Which brings us to the fact that I just one week ago attained the age of 56. I must say that I am loving how interesting this number is! 56 is the sum of the first six triangular numbers, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15 and 21. A triangular number, just in case you didn't know, is the number of objects that can form an equilateral triangle. Think that little diagram that indicates how bowling pins are set up. Cool, huh? It is also the sum of six consecutive primes, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 and 17, which I guess makes me uberprime this year. Also, Stonehenge was theoretically based on a 56 sided polygon. Though such a shape is impossible to configure using simple geometry, it didn't seem to stymie those Druid dudes as early as 3000 BC one little bit. 56 is the atomic number of barium, the number of men who signed The Declaration of Independence and the international dialing code for Chile. 56, that natural number that can be found right smack in between 55 and 57. Fabulous things are afoot!

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