Author: jonah.luo

The Venn Diagram on Different Type of Numbers

Venn diagram show relations among several sets.

Natural numbers, Integers, Rationals and Real numbers each define a set. Therefore, they can be represented by the Venn diagram.

Can we draw the diagram in such a way that the area of each circle is proportion to how many numbers are in the set represented by the circle (or whatever shape)? And first things first shall we try that?

Now let’s elaborate.

Natural numbers (or counting numbers) are like 1, 2, 3, .. We use them when counting.
Integers include all natural numbers as well as zero (0) and all negative numbers like -1, -2, -3, ..

Rational numbers are those that can be written as the ratio of two integers. Rational numbers includes integers; rational numbers can be either positive or negative.
Examples are like 1 &frac; 2 or 2 &frac; 3.

What’s the real numbers? Well, they includes both Rational and Irrational numbers. Irrational numbers are those that CANNOT be written EXACTLY as the ratio of two integers. Two famous examples are sqrt(2) as well as π. Indeed, as learning more, we find much more IRRATIONALS than RATIONALS — so that if we resize total REAL numbers to 100, then 100% will be IRRATIONAL, and ALMOST NOTHING is RATIONAL.

In Venn diagram, we typically represent one set by a circle. Two circles overlap indicates they have common elements. If one circle is completely contained in another circle, that indicates one set A is completely contained in another set B (that is, any element of set A is an element of set B).

 

π Ideas (1) a Fun Way of Finding the π Value

π Ideas for Circles and Trigonometry:
Stories, Facts and Implications
1st Story: A Fun Way of Finding the π Value

Here is some facts found in somebody’s math venture:

He marks a point A on a circle. He then split the radius of the same circle into 4 equal segments – call the length of one segment as b.
He measured along the circle using b (explain the measurement). After 7 steps he stopped and label that point as B. — As he noticed, the arc from A to B is slightly greater than a quarter of the circle.

Now he returns to split the radius of this circle into 5 equal parts – call the length of one segment as d. Then he measured along the circle using d. After 7 steps he stopped and label that point as D. — As he noticed, the arc from A to D is slightly less than a quarter of the circle.

Having a second look, he has noticed as well that the line connecting B and D “almost” passes through the centre of the circle (or line BD is “almost” a diameter).

Pause for a minute. Try to draw a diagram according to this description. If not sure, look into the figure below for a check.

pi-SmartRatio
pi-SmartRatio1-300x278
[As in this figure, N is the center of the circle, NA is the radius of the big circle, and the two small circles are of radius that is (1/4), resp. (1/5) of NA. From A, going through 7 steps to reach B; from A, going the other direction 7 steps to reach D. Pls. note the length of step in the two directions are not the same! ]

After some thought and calculation, he decided the approximate value of π. The value he’s found is 3.15 – which is pretty close to the true value. (For sure you know π is 3.14159, don’t you?)

Now is your chance to take part: how did he finds that value?

For a bonus question: he has decided that (7/4) radians is approximately 100 degrees. Do you agree? How did he come to that conclusion?

[Explain the concepts of radians if needed.]

Number Sense – Activity: Tsunami Numbers in the News

About a decade ago, there was a great Tsunami happening in Asia.
What do you know about the Asian tsunami?

Read through the article first. Use the following numbers to fill in the blanks in the story.Think about which numbers make sense.

500 20 8,000; 2004 110,000 30,000 9.0


A tsunami triggered by a very large earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26, ____, has left more than 150,000 people dead and millions homeless. Countries hit hardest by the disaster include Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the Maldives. Almost 75% of the deaths occurred in Indonesia, estimated at ____. Sir Lanka was second highest with about 20% of the estimated deaths, or ______ people lost that day. The rest of the deaths, approximately ____, occurred in the other nine countries affected by the tsunami.

The ____ foot wall of water, higher than a two-story building, swallowed entire villages. The tsunami waves were not only very high, they moved at a much faster speed than normal. These waves were comparable in size to those you see on some of the surfing movies; but those waves travel at 30 miles an hour, and the tsunami waves were moving more than fifteen times as fast at ____ miles an hour. The velocity of the force is what caused the destruction—a massive force that swept away everything in its path.

The earthquake causing this Tsunami was a destructive earthquake measuring ______ on the Richter scale, the fourth worst earthquake in recorded history. Earthquakes are measured on a Richter scale that has a range from 0 to 12; a 6.0 on the scale is a pretty bad earthquake.

(Story constructed from January 2005 news reports)

“Nine”: Cloud Nine, Nine Novelties

Nineth 中文版: ”9“: 九重天,九九艳阳

> 9 is the largest digit under 10. 9 is a perfect square, 9 = 32.

A whole number multiplied by itself for some times is called a perfect power. In a perfect power, both the base and the exponent are whole numbers.

Since 32 – 23 = 1, we say that 9 = 32 is a perfect power that is one larger than the other perfect power. And it is the only one so satisfying the condition.

> In decimal system, to judge whether an integer is a multiple of 9, one add all the digits and find the sum. If the result of the sum is greater than 10, then from the results you add all the digits again. So finally we can get a digit that has only one place (less than 10). If this final one is 9, then the initial number would be a multiple of 9.

Mathematically speaking, for any multiple of 9, its digit root is 9.

> The “casting-out 9” method is a shortcut method for checking the results of integer operations, based on the principle we just discussed.

> Take 4 points from a circle, and choose to connect pairs of points to form chords. If a restriction is imposed so as not to allow intersection of chords, then there are exactly 9 ways to make the choice. As shown in the illustration below.

Motzkin-5pt-9

To recapitulate, for four points on a circle, there are 9 ways of making the chords through connecting some pairs of points (include no connection at all), when the restriction is not to allow intersection chords.

Since Motzkin (T. Motzkin – an Isralian mathematician) first worked on this problem, so named after him, number “9” is called a Motzkin number.

> Please look at the following division-by-9 operations:

405 ÷ 9 = 45 2025 ÷ 9 = 225 6075 ÷ 9 = 675
45 ÷ 9 = 5 225 ÷ 9 = 25 675 ÷ 9 = 75

Take for example the identity 45 ÷ 9 = 5. Take 45 and strike out from it a digit 4, then what’s left is another digit 5. (Of course, this cannot be true for any number divided by 9.) What’s amazing in the above is, that the trick can be applied twice (for example, in 405 -> 45 -> 5); each time we strike off certain digit and the value of number is reduced to (1/9) of the value before the division operation. So let’s call this a 9-reducible chain of numbers.

Taken another close look. Can you find any other pattern in the above sequence?

> The Arabic digit has several different ways of writing (ancient writing, not in use today). Some looks like a question mark, some looks exactly like digit “3”, and for some others, digit 3 is contained inside; just like, as we know, 9 contains 3 as one factor.
Glyph-9The last of these continued to evolve into today’s number “9”.

> In English, we have “cloud line”, and in orient we also have “Nine Layers of Heaven). The meaning does not coincide completely, but the usage seems to be similar.

> Number 4 and 5 naturally, or seems naturally, to go together with number 9. We have 9 = 4 + 5. Let’s look at a few more (some have been mentioned as above).

A. For 4 points on a circle, there are 9 ways of making the chords through connecting some pairs of points;

B. Each 9-reducible chain ends with a multiple of power of 5.

C. 45 = 5 x 9 and 95 = 5 x 19.

> Finally we have certain facts that are interesting and relate to the number “9”

  • For the precise value of π = 3.14159 .. , starting from the 762th digit, there appears six consecutive “9”s.
  • 1/7 = 142857 / 999999
  • 9 = 3(21)

Random picked facts as they are, it seems number 9 appear universally at many places we’re not expecting!

“8” — Cubic, Sphenic and the Super “8”

Eighth“Eight”

链接中文版: “8” 立方数,Sphenic 数,八面来风

>

Number 8 is a perfect cube. 8 = 23.

We can also say that 8 is a perfect power (as 8 is the cubic power of 2; any power, whether square, cubic, or fourth degree, etc, can be called a power).

>

Look at this identity equation:

8 = 23 = 32 – 1

8 is the ONLY power that is one less than another perfect power (other than the trivial case of 0 and 1). This is (proved) Mihailescu’s Theorem.

> An octagon has 8 sides; an octagon can be obtained through “splitting” each side of a square shape into two shorted sides.

An octahedron (3D shape) has 8 faces. You may call it a quadruple tetrahedron as you can split it into four tetrahedrons.

And an octopus has 8 legs.

> The octal numerical system is often used in computer science:

Information is stored in a computer using binary. Each binary is called a bit, and three bits form a 3-bits which is octal. For an example, the decimal number 20 is represented as 010100 in binary, and as 24 in octal.

>

A cube has 8 vertices, 6 faces, and 12 edges.

An octahedron has 6 vertices, 8 faces and 12 edges.

(Notice that the number of vertices and the number of faces swap in a cube and in an octahedron,

and the number of edges is the same for a cube and for an octahedron.)

An octahedron is therefore the dual polyhedron for the cube (by swapping vertices and faces). Dual pair of polyhedrons is an interesting mathematical concept.

> When a number has exactly 3 different prime factors, it is called a Sphenic number. Examples of Sphenic numbers are 30 = 2 × 3 × 5, 105 = 3 × 5 × 7, 231 = 3 × 7 × 11 etc. It is a known fact that

Every sphenic number has 8 exact divisors (include 1 and itself).

And naturally, if we exclude number 1 and the Sphenic number itself, then:

Every sphenic number has 6 exact proper divisors (not counting 1 and itself).

Number 8 is not a Sphenic number as it contains three identical prime numbers (8 = 23 = 2 × 2 × 2).

> How number 8 come to its current shape “8” in arabic number system is an interesting story. The following glyphs shows the evolution of 8.

Glyph-8
One of the many possible explanations for the shape of 8 is as follows:

The glyph Glyph-8-beginat the very beginning is showing two overlaying hands (represented by the middle bar), deducted the two thumbs (represented by the two vertical bars), so there are exactly 8 fingers. Later in the glyph, when the two vertical bars become curved (as in Glyph-8-curvedS), it looks more like the English letter S (which starts the word “symmetry”). At the end (as written today), the glyph becomes closed completely (and symmetric, with several axis of symmetry).

— When you think of the symmetry, think about the figure “8” shape!
The “figure 8” shape often used in context of sports such as figure skating. We also see figure-eight turns of a rope or cable appearing in some drawings or digital icons.

> Since one week has 7 days, the eighth day just repeat the 1st day of last week. Musically, the Diatonic Scale has 7 notes, which are: 1 (Do) 2 (Re) 3 (Mi) 4 (Fa) 5 (So) 6 (La) 7 (Ti), but the 8th note is Do again. With these facts as the inspiration, “8” often signifies a new beginning, and the hope for the new era.

Super 8, when you read the two words together (liason) without pause, it sounds like “super rate” therefore become business brands, meaning to provide super service with an affordable price.

“9”: 九重天,九九艳阳

NinethEnglish Version: Nine: Cloud Nine, Nine Novelties

> 9 是最大的一位数字。9 是平方数,9 = 32.
因 32 – 23 = 1,我们说9= 32 是比另一完全幂(23)大一的完全幂。
满足另一完全幂大一,数字 9 是唯一。

> (在十进制中)要判别一个数是否9的倍数,只要把所有数字加起来,看数字和是否 9 的倍数。如果求出的和的结果大于10,可以把这结果的各位数字再相加…… 这样最后总能得到一位数字。如果这个数字是9,那末最开始的数字就是 9 的倍数。
数学上这样说,9 的倍数的数字迹(digit root)是九。

弃9法是快速检查整数运算结果的一种方法:就建立在上述原理之上。

>

在圆周上任取4个点,选择在点对之间连线成弦(或者不连)。如果限制弦之间不能相交,那么所有的选择方式共有9种(参考下图)。
小结一下:圆上4点有9种连线成不相交弦的选择方案(含完全不连)。

Motzkin-5pt-9
> 请看下面等式:

405 ÷ 9 = 45 2025 ÷ 9 = 225 6075 ÷ 9 = 675
45 ÷ 9 = 5 225 ÷ 9 = 25 675 ÷ 9 = 75

以 45 ÷ 9 = 5 为例。只要从45 中划去4,余下的5就是结果。(当然,只对若干特别数成立。)上面其他等式也类似。奇妙的是,这个窍门可以用两次(如 405 -> 45 -> 5, 每次缩小到 1/9,不妨称为9-缩链)。

仔细再看一眼上面的等式:您还可以总结到其他规律吗?

阿拉伯数字 9 曾有几种不同的写法(古写法,今天已不用)。有的象问号,又象数字3,还有写法上把数字3 含在里面的。
Glyph-9

> 3 是9的约数,3 和 9 都有多的意思。人是好奇的,所以问题也特别多。
英文讲“Cloud Nine”, 东方有九重天,含义不尽相同,但是说法上类似。
中文的“九”还有长久的意思,九九重阳节登高是中国文化的一个传统。

> 数字 4 或者 5 和 9 有你想不到的天然默契,举例 (上面都提了):
A. 圆上四点有9种连成不相交弦的方式。
B. 9-缩链的终点是5的幂的倍数。

> 下面我们杂拾了一些和9有关的有趣事实:

  • 圆周率(精准数字)从小数点后762位起连续出现6个“9”
  • 1/7 = 142857 / 999999
  • 9 = 3(21) (这种形式叫做指数类阶乘)

不过是随意拾取的几条,但也说明 9 无处不在!

“8”: 立方数,Sphenix 数,八面来风

EighthEnglish Version: Eight: Cubic, Sphenic and Super “8”

 

8 是完全立方数。8 = 23.
我们也可以说 8 是完全幂(幂可以是平方,立方,四次方等;这里是立方)。

> 看下面的等式:
8 = 23 = 32 – 1
8 是唯一的比另一完全幂小一的完全幂(根据已证明的Mihailescu 定理)。

> 通过把四边形的每边分开成两条更短边,我们得到一个八边形。
八面体有8个面。八面体总可以分成4个四面体。
还有,章鱼有八条腿。

> 计算机中常用到八进制数。

计算机里的信息是用二进制来存的。每位二进制位叫一个比特。三位比特形成八进制的一位。例如,十进制的20 在二进制中表示成 010100,在八进制中是 24 = 2 × 8 + 4.

立方体有8个顶点,6个面和12条边。
八面体有6个顶点,8个面和12条边。
(请注意在上面两句中顶点和面的个数交换了;而边的个数是一样的。)

因而我们把八面体称作立方体的对偶多面体(顶点和面互换了)。对偶多面体是一个重要的数学概念。

> 一个刚好有3个相异素因子的整数叫 Sphenix 数。其例子有 30 = 2 × 3 × 5, 105 = 3 × 5 × 7, 231 = 3 × 7 × 11 等。数学里我们知道每个 Sphenix 数 都有8个约数(包括1 和它本身)。要是不算1和它本身,那末每个 Sphenix 数就只有六个约数。
数 8 本身不是 Sphenix 数因其三个因子相同 (23)。

阿拉伯数字 8 是怎样演变成今天的形状的,也颇为有趣。下面一行表现了数字 8的演变。

Glyph-8
对于这个演变的解释,有一种说法如下:
最开始的象形,Glyph-8-begin是两只重叠的手(以中间横杠代表),除去两个拇指,所以是八个手指头。后来Glyph-8-curvedS代表拇指的竖杠逐渐弯曲,有点象拉丁字母 S,直到最后整个象形完全闭合了 (闭合后也就对称了:你能看到数字8 有几个对称轴吗?)。

— 所以想到对称时,不妨想想八字形(8)。 在花样滑冰的运动中,有著名的八字形花样。八字形也用来表示交叉的绳索或者网络的连线,出现在今天数字化时代的图标中。
> 一周有 七 天,第8天又是星期一。在乐理中,多来米发索拉西是七个音高,之后又回到“多”(但是高了八度),因而在一些文化中,八代表希望和新的开始。

华侨华人中也有喜欢数字8的,8的音近“发”,恭喜发财。

> 和八有关的说法:
四面八方,八面来风,八面玲珑
八成没错,八九不离十,八月桂花香

“7”: Seven Wonders, Seven Colors of a Rainbow

Seventh

“Seven”    切换中文版: “7”: 七色彩虹,七色桥

> A rainbow has 7 colours.200px-WhereRainbowRises
To be precise, rainbows span a continuous spectrum of colours. Any distinct bands perceived are an artefact of human colour vision. The most commonly cited and  remembered sequence of the rainbow is Newton’s sevenfold red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet,

A week has 7 days. Our world has 7 wonders.
> We start from the reciprocal of 7.
1 / 7 = 142857 / 999999 = 0.142857142857141857 .. .. .. (repeating forever)

The string 142857 is fairly interesting as shown below:
1 × 142857 = 142857
2 × 142857 = 285714
3 × 142857 = 428571
4 × 142857 = 571428
5 × 142857 = 714285
6 × 142857 = 857142

Now see the amazing pattern at the side: it always follows the same pattern 1 -> 4 -> 2 -> 8 -> 5 -> 7; (when you’ve come to the “7”, come to “1”), the only difference is starting with different first digit. It’s a full-circle pattern, as shown.
7-1-4-2-8-5-7It’s also interesting to note that the digits 3, 6, 9 are skipped in each of the strings. One explanation is for the first digits 14, 2 × 14 = 28 and 3 × 14 = 42 so there is no thirty something for the first two digits of any string. Of course 3 × 13 = 39 but no string starting with 13 will have nice pattern like that 142857.

> Suppose you are rolling standard 6-sided dice with numbers 1- 6 on respective faces. If you roll two dices independently, and then add the number of the top face of each dice to get the sum. What would be most likely for this sum to be? You guessed it – “7” (as appeared in combination 1 & 6, 2 & 5, 3 & 4, 4 & 3, 5 & 2, 6 & 1) – a total of (1/6) likelihood.

How many different numbers can we get? From 2 to 12: there are 11 numbers. If you do the experiment 110 times, in about 18 times you’ll get the sum “7”, but on average since there are 11 numbers, each number has about 10 chances. Now you see the significant difference.

In actual experiment, the results may vary as we always in experiment with random events.

>

(the Kissing Solution for a Unit Circle).
The problem is to use several circles of diameter 1 (the smaller circles) to completely cover a perfect circle of diameter 2 (the large circle, which has twice as long radius, and thus is four times in area).
Now at least how many smaller circles do we need to completely cover the large circle? And how?

The answer is that you need at least 7 circles.
Can you figure out how? And Can you show less (say 6) of smaller circles  are not enough to cover the large circle?

> 7 is a number in the Mersenne sequence, which goes as:

21 – 1, 22 – 1, 23 – 1, 24 – 1, 25 – 1, 26 – 1, 27 – 1, .. .. ..
Or
1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, .. .. ..

Of the Mersenne sequence, number 7 is the third number . Both 3 (from the 3rd) and 7 are primes.

It has been proven that if n is NOT a prime number, then 2n – 1 is not a prime either. How about the other side? If n is a prime number, does that guarantee that 2n – 1 is also a prime. This is a famous conjecture about the Mersenne primes; but today we know that it is not so. We refrain from discussing here, but that’s an interesting topic.

>

If we take the quadruple of 7, we get 28. Since
28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14
(Notice that the right hand has included, as the addends, all the proper divisors of 28)
So we can conclude that 28 is a complete number. It is 2nd complete number, coming after 6.

> Number 7 is also be considered as “mystic” or “magic” in both oriental and western cultures. In English, “7” sounds like “heaven”. Number “7” has been used many times in the bible, for example, the great flood lasted 7 weeks (7 x 7 days), and Egypt had 7 abundant years followed by 7 disastrous when all harvest and so bad, etc.
We have mentioned 7 wonders of the world . And have you heard the English phrase “at sixes and sevens”? It is a British phrase used to describe a state of confusion or disarray – – so not good — But whether good or bad, “7” is special.

“7”: 七色彩虹, 七彩桥

SeventhEnglish Version: Seven Colors of a Rainbow

> 彩虹有七种颜色。

说的准确些,彩虹的色谱是连续的。颜色带只是人眼的视觉效果。我们通常200px-WhereRainbowRises的七色(有牛顿总结提出)包含 赤,橙,黄,绿,蓝,靛,紫。

一周有七天,世界有七大奇迹。

> 我们从七的倒数(即 1/7,七分之一)开始。

1 / 7 = 142857 / 999999 = 0.142857142857141857 .. .. .. (一直重复下去)

注意数串142857 相当有趣,看一看下面的式子你就明白了:

1 × 142857 = 142857

2 × 142857 = 285714

3 × 142857 = 428571

4 × 142857 = 571428

5 × 142857 = 714285

6 × 142857 = 857142

7 × 142857 = 999999

注意到了吗?7-1-4-2-8-5-7
1 -> 4 -> 2 -> 8 -> 5 -> 7 好比一个神奇的圈,当乘数是1 – 6 时,我们仍然可以顺着圈读出结果,唯一不同的是从哪个数字开始。因而我们说这是一个叫人着迷的圆圈模式。

在右端的所有结果串中,数字 369 完全没有出现。如果注意到数字14:串的最左两位数字, 那么一个简单解释是:2 × 14 = 28 然后 3 × 14 = 42,所以数字3 没有机会出现。那要是 13 呢?你可以一试,不过可没有象 14 开头的串这么好的 Pattern

> 假设你手里有标准的6面色子 (立方体,六面上分别有数字 1-6) 。同时掷两个这样的色子(或者掷两次),把出现的数字加起来得到和。和最可能是哪个数?是数字“7”。(如果先后两个数字是 1-62-53-44-35-26-1),求和的结果都是 7. 出现7的概率(可能性)是 1/6.

上述和的结果可能是 2 – 12 间的共11个数字。如果你把上面的实验做 110 次,那么出现7的次数会在 18次左右,而平均说来,11 个数字中的每个只有 10 次左右的机会。看出来了吧,出现“7”的机会确实多一些。

如果你把上面的实验真的做一次,也有可能观察到和上面分析相差较多的结果–因为是随机实验,结果当然也是完全随机的。

> 7 出现在Mersenne 数列中,

21 – 1, 22 – 1, 23 – 1, 24 – 1, 25 – 1, 26 – 1, 27 – 1, .. .. ..

Or
1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127

7 是第三个Mersenne . 3 (第三) and 7 都是素数。

已经证明,如果 n 不是素数,那么2n -1 也不是素数。相反的一面如何?如果 n 是素数,那么 2n – 1 一定是素数吗?我们现在知道这可不一定。不再继续讨论下去了,不过这是一个有趣的题目哦!

> 7 的四倍是 28。 请看下面的式子:

28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14

注意到右边的式子里面包含了28 的所有真约数,这表明 28 是完全数。

> 和七有关的说法:

七色彩虹,七彩世界

七情六欲,七上八下,乱七八糟

Six: All Directions, Hexagons and 6-letter Words in Scrabble

Six-th

“Six”     中文版 6: 六合之内

> A cube has 6 faces.

The 3D space we live has 6 directions: up, down, left, right, front and back.

> 6 is an even number. And it is a complete number.

Note: for any number, we can add all of its proper divisors (except itself), and find the sum. If the sum of all its proper divisors equal to the number, then we call this number as a complete number.

For 6: it has four divisors: 1, 2, 3, 6. We strike out 6 (as it is not proper). Then we find that:

1 + 2 + 3 = 6,

which leads us to the conclusion that 6 is a complete number.

The next complete number is 28.

6 also relates to the integer solution of the following equation:

x + y + z = (x) (y) (z)

Solution to this question, with no particular order, is 1, 2, and 3. Which makes both hands equalling 6.

> For any number ending in “6”, when you square it, the last digit of the square is also 6.

For example: 162 = 256, 362 = 1296.

> We have the following interesting identities:

(1 ⁄ 2) – (1 ⁄ 3) = 1 ⁄ 6
and
(1 ⁄ 2) + (1 ⁄ 3) + (1 ⁄ 6) = 1

> 6 has a very interesting rational expression:

6 = (173 + 373) (21)3

> A hexagon has 6 vertices and 6 sides. If we connect the alternate vertices, we get an equilateral. This equilateral is similar to the equilateral when we divide hexagons up into 6 smaller equilaterals.

A tetrahedron (4 faces) has 6 edges.

A rectangle has four sides; but adding the two diagonals, there are 6 linking lines connecting each pair of vertices of the rectangle.

> 6 is also a triangle number (defined as follows):

1 = 1

3 = 1 + 2

6 = 1 + 2 + 3

.. .. .. ..

15 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5

.. .. .. ..

36 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8

All numbers appearing at the left-hand side are triangle numbers.

It is interesting to note that 6 and 6 x 6 = 36 both appear (respectively as 3rd and 8th) in this sequence.

> A regular hexagon can be inscribed to a perfect circle, with the side being equal to the radius. With radius being 1, the circumference of the circle is greater than 6: the perimeter of the hexagon. We know that π (for circles) is defined as the ratio of circumference to the diameter. This definition, combined with the fact that the circumference of the circle is greater than 6, has established that π > 3: one of the earliest fact about circles for humankind exploring the shape of perfect circles.

> If you know many 6-letter English words, you may score a high point in scrabble (a game for guessing English words). Pause to think of 6-letter words, your mind may generate some 5-letter or 7-letter words first (or some times 3-letter, 4-letter words) before writing any 6-letter.

There are in fact lots of 6-letter words, such as:

artist, sister, attire, entire, entree, orient, season, desert, tested, trophy

In mathematical terms, here are some:

>> The English word “number” has 6 letters. “Figure” also has 6 letters.

There are some 6-letter English words that you use a lot in the exam: e.g. “answer” and “choice”. When you deal with 3D solids, you may be asked to calculate the “volume” – there, another one.

(But English words “shape”, “angle” “graph” “ratio”, “speed”, “digit” each has 5 letters only. You may write “shapes”, “angles”, “graphs”, etc. but this is somewhat cheating!

Fraction” and “decimal” has respectively 8 and 7 letters.)

A list of compiled 6-letter words (one word per line) may fill over 100 pages, as using double space format. That’s a lot!