My look at the news coming out of Japan with topics ranging from science to Japanese culture. Feel free to leave comments. I want to make this place a community.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A late happy new year
You know, it just occurred to me that I haven't wished all of you a happy new year. So from everyone at Jei's Japan News Network (that would be me) happy new year to one and all.
Every year is a special year, but 2011 is a special year in an emotional and numerical sense. I found this nifty article on wired vision and it goes into some of the reasons why 2011 is numerically special.
The one that grabbed my attention is 2011 is actually a sum of 11 consecutive prime numbers: 157 + 163 + 167 + 173 + 179 + 181 + 191 + 193 + 197 + 199 + 211. Not only that but 2011 itself is also a prime number.
Not only is 2011 a prime number but it is known as a sexy prime number. Why is it sexy? Well that is because the difference between 2011 and the next prime number (2017) is 6. If we go for the Latin, 6 is written as "sex" which automatically makes those numbers sexy.
I would write more about the year but I think I am coming down with a cold and I want to take it easy (plus...how can I top a sexy prime number?)
It is now time for the word of the day. Today's word is 素数(そすう). It is pronounced sosuu and it means prime number. I wish I had more sexy prime numbers in my life.
See you next time at JJNN!
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One thing I forgot to add. This is the 23rd year of the Heisei era in Japan (that is how they count years along with years as marked off in the Gregorian calendar). 23 is also a prime number. Nice, huh?
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