I love mathematics and I'm hoping there are a few others who enjoy it as well. Feel free to post any thoughts about the subject in this thread. Maybe there's a calculus problem that you would like someone to solve or maybe you have a puzzle, a riddle, a mathematical paradox, or just something interesting or funny that you came across that is math-related. Maybe you just want to interject some random thoughts about math or how you or someone you know has used or misused it. Whatever your thoughts, I'd enjoy hearing them.

Let's just say I have had many students over the years that have indicated to me that they can relate to the way the dude below feels. How about you?

 

Why does it have to be Yao Ming?

I'll leave you with this to ponder for today. You have heard of prime numbers, of course(2,3,5,7,11,13,17,...). But what about PERFECT numbers? A perfect number is a number which is equal to the sum of its proper divisors. EX: 6 is a perfect number since 6 = 1+2+3 . Can you come up with the next one?

 

Interestingly enough, there is a relationship between primes and perfect numbers, which I will give in the next post. You should be able to easily find the perfect number that follows 6. But what about the third one? It's quite a bit larger(three digits). If you have trouble determining it, the next post should help you generate as many of them as you want.

If (2^k) - 1 is prime ,where k is a positive integer , then [ 2^(k-1)][ (2^k)-1] is perfect.

 

Example: for k = 2 , we have (2^k)-1 = 3 (prime) . Thus, [ 2^(2-1)] [(2^2)-1] = 2*3= 6. So, k = 2 yields the perfect number 6.

 

Try k= 3 to generate the next perfect number.

k= 5 will generate the one after that.

I had the second one = 28

 

Using the formula the third is 496

My head hurts.

I had the second one = 28

 

Using the formula the third is 496

 

 

Nice!!!!

 

28 = 1+2+4+7+14

 

496 = 1+2+4+8+16+31+62+124+248

I love to cook and I love to do math, but sometimes I just shouldn't think math when cooking:

 

 

A few years ago, I had a calculus student do something almost identical to this on an exam. He was pretty much clueless in class but on this one I gave him points for humor and creativity. At least, I hope it was his attempt at humor and creativity...

 

 

 

Your making me feel stupid now.

I may have some good calculus problems to post in the next few weeks. Stay tuned...

When I was in 6th grade, I cheated in my math class. I followed that up by cheating the rest if middle school, all of high school and all of college.

 

I've never enjoyed math and never really had much desire to learn. It all seems so extremely boring.

If (2^k) - 1 is prime ,where k is a positive integer , then [ 2^(k-1)][ (2^k)-1] is perfect.

 

Example: for k = 2 , we have (2^k)-1 = 3 (prime) . Thus, [ 2^(2-1)] [(2^2)-1] = 2*3= 6. So, k = 2 yields the perfect number 6.

 

Try k= 3 to generate the next perfect number.

k= 5 will generate the one after that.

 

This is like trying to read Chinese.

This is like trying to read Chinese.

 

 

We all hope and pray that you never have to count to 21 in public.