11 March 2018

The unhappy cardinal

The cardinal was mighty suspicious of the spotted towhee that landed too close to its nest for its comfort.
The picture was taken with a DSLR from about fifteen yards away. The light was poor (only some sunset rays trickling in thru the forests) and I had to deal with the fact that the shot had to be taken thru two upright bars of the patio (you can see the white blur on either side). I dared not stand up to get a better shot lest the birds fly away…

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6 March 2018

There are all these kinds of names for numbers?

You remember the other day I got a hotel room number 407 and I had written about how it is an Armstrong number? (which is a special case of Narcissistic numbers). Well that got me thinking what are the other kind of numbers that are out there? I was surprised to find out there are so many different names.

Let’s start with Narcissistic numbers itself. Do you know when is a number narcissistic?
If the number is equal to the sum of each one of its digits raised to the number of digits, then it is narcissistic. Let’s take the example of 407. There are 3 digits in it and 407 = 4 cubed plus 0 cubed plus 7 cubed. That makes it a narcissistic number. Or take 1634. There are 4 digits in it. 1634 = 1 to the power 4 PLUS 6 to the power 4 PLUS 3 to the power 4 PLUS 4 to the power 4.

Apparently there are only 88 such narcissistic numbers.

Do you know what a perfect number is?
If all the divisors of a number (other than the number itself) add up to the number itself, it is called perfect. For example, 28. The factors are 1, 2, 4, 7 and 14. And they add to 28. Similary, 6 is a perfect number as is 496 and 8128.

Did you know there are happy numbers and sad numbers?
Take a number like 19. The digits are 1 and 9. Square them up and add. You get 1+81 = 82. Do the same again – 8 squared plus 2 squared is 68. Do again – you get 100. And then you are stuck on a loop of 1.
Now try 7. You get 49. Then 97. Then 130. Then 10. Then 1
There are a few numbers where if you keep doing this – square the digits and add and then keep doing – they will get stuck in a loop (either at 1 or a loop that does not have 1). Such numbers are called happy numbers. Every other number is a sad number!

What is a strong number?
If you add the factorials of the digits of the number and you land back at the original number, it is called strong number! Try 145. 1 factorial PLUS 4 factorial PLUS 5 factorial is 1 + 24 + 120 = 145. Thus it is a strong number

You know what is a circular number?
If the square of the number ends with the number itself, it is a circular number. e.g. 6, 25 …

Now Google and find out what is a vampire number? or an odious number? hoax number? pandigital number?

If you find more interesting numbers, do write back…

Category: Word Play | 16 Comments on There are all these kinds of names for numbers?
6 March 2018

Those indelible ink marks – one from 2013

I had run into Ryan Krusac in 2013 while perusing pens at the Atlanta Fountain Pen Show that year. I got to know about him and his family. He lives in North Georgia (I believe near Chattanooga area). His passion is making pens and he does a great job in the craftsmanship of each and every one he makes. That year, I bought this wooden body pen from him. The wood came from local forests of North Georgia mountains. Originally this had a medium tip nib. Ryan was kind enough to mail me a fine tip a few days later which I fit in and promptly started using. I go with black ink for this pen.

I was going to take the next pen picture a week later but this Sunday, while cleaning the pool after the long bike ride, I noticed the pine cone next to the tree trunk with bright sunlight falling on it. I knew the exact pen that would go great with that backdrop. Ran inside to get the pen and the camera.

And yes, much later I remembered that I completely forgotten to finish off the pool cleaning 🙂

Miriam, since you liked the previous pen picture… this picture is for you!!

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