Wednesday, 9 April 2014

The Number 7

   I suppose this has no direct connection with 'the Prisoner,' and yet the series is all about numbers. Yesterday morning I was listening to the morning programme on BBC Radio 4. And there was this guy Alex Bellos who had been carrying out research into the world's favourite number, well it's a bit of fun really. What might you think that number is? What's your favourite number, it wouldn't be 6 by any chance? As it works out the world's favourite number is 7. And as you know 7 only appears in 'the Prisoner' by surreptitious means, like the Lotus seven, the seven times No.2 slaps No.6's face in 'Free For All.' The seven ages of man, the digit 7 in 73, etc, etc. Also according to recent research which I heard on the programme on BBC Radio 4. That if we consider only the basic number grouping of 1 to 10, 1 2 3 4 and 5 can be divided. 6 8 and 10 can be halved. 9 can be divided by three, and 7 is left on it's own. 7 is said to be unique, because it can neither be divided or multiplied., which is lucky for 7, being a lucky number!

BCNU

6 comments:

  1. That's nonsense. 1, 2, 3 and 5 can only be divided by themselves or 1, same as 7. 4 can be halved too. 7 isn't left on its own any more than 1, 2, 3 and 5. Who writes this stuff?

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    Replies
    1. Alex bellos is the man behind the research, perhaps this will help.

      http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2014/apr/08/seven-worlds-favourite-number-online-survey

      BCNU!

      Delete
  2. Perhaps this one helps:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_(number)
    BCNU!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bellos said:
      If we consider only the numbers between 1 and 10, the basic number grouping, 7 is the only number that cannot be multiplied or divided within the group.
      •1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be doubled.
      • 6, 8 and 10 can be halved.

      You wrote:
      "That if we consider only the basic number grouping of 1 to 10, 1 2 3 4 and 5 can be divided. 6 8 and 10 can be halved. 9 can be divided by three, and 7 is left on it's own."
      • 9 divides by 3.
      •7 is left on its own."

      Bellos is right with "doubled". You are wrong with "divided". Both of you are wrong in excluding 4 from the doubling AND dividing.

      Has this blog just jumped the shark?

      Delete
  3. I would guess that as for the number 7 it's more about its symbolic and religious than its mathematical status, isn't it. Unfortunately the English WP tells little about all this. And for the German WP entry I just can't translate of it quickly. But there should be more web pages relating to that subect. - BCNU!

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    ReplyDelete