🚀 go-pugleaf

David N. Williams <david.n.williams@umich.edu> wrote:
> Eliot Coweye wrote:
>> IMO the 1 certainly is green, the 2 blue and a 3 is yellow, while 4
>> should be orange, 5 brown and 7 pink.8 is red and 9 grey and 0, of
>> course, black.
>> 
>> I think with the right colors, we'll be able to solve more mathematical
>> problems, because the colors will add a new dimension to boring
>> numbers.
>> 
>> What do you think?

> Probably you haven't heard of the theory of interesting numbers.
> Some people where I worked in the late 50's taught me about it.
> For nonnegative integers, here's a sample:

> One is an interesting number, because it's the only nonzero
> number whose square is itself.

> Suppose n is an interesting number.  Then n+1 is interesting,
> because it comes just after an interesting number.  Voil?!

> On the other hand, there must be at least one uninteresting nonnegative
> integer, because it would be boring if they were all the same.

> So this theory has already generated a deep paradox, just like
> set theory.  Maybe not so surprising, given the set theory construction
> of the Peano axioms.

> Oops, I see this is a digression from numerical analysis...

Just the opportunity I was waiting for.  In college we had a way
to amaze the freshmen.  Someone would assert that the only
rantom number is 17.  As proof, then next person to pass by would
be asked to pick a random number.  The response would always be
"17", since everyone was in on the joke.

-- 
*   Patrick L. Nolan                                          *
*   W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory (HEPL)       * 
*   Stanford University                                       *