31415926535897932384626433832795028841 is a prime number.
It’s also the first 38 digits of pi.
Science & Math
“Self-Locating” Strings
In the decimal expansion for pi, the digits 16470 appear in position 16,470.
And the digits 44899 appear in position 44,899.
Math Notes
37 = 32 + 72 – 3 × 7 = (33 + 73)/(3 + 7)
Cosmic Irony
In 1961, astronaut Gus Grissom nearly drowned after a splashdown when his Mercury capsule opened prematurely. He recommended making the hatch more secure.
Eight years later he died when Apollo 1 caught fire. The hatch had prevented his escape.
Juvenile Chemistry
This compound, C4H5As, is known as arsole.
When it’s fused to a benzene ring, it’s called benzarsole.
No, I’m not above pointing that out.
Math Notes
371 = 33 + 73 + 13
Math Notes
5882 + 23532 = 5882353
The Haberdasher’s Problem
Can you make three cuts in a square of cloth and rearrange the pieces to form an equilateral triangle?
Fallow and Fertile
Albrecht Dürer’s Melencolia I might brood about thwarted creativity, but it contains one of the most brilliant magic squares in all of European art.
You can reach the sum of 34 by adding the numbers in any row, column, diagonal, or quadrant; the four center squares; the four corner squares; the four numbers clockwise from the corners; or the four counterclockwise.
As a bonus, the two numbers in the middle of the bottom row give the date of the engraving: 1514.
Math Notes
0588235294117647 × 1 = 0588235294117647
0588235294117647 × 8 = 4705882352941176
0588235294117647 × 3 = 1764705882352941
0588235294117647 × 2 = 1176470588235294
0588235294117647 × 7 = 4117647058823529
0588235294117647 × 5 = 2941176470588235
0588235294117647 × 9 = 5294117647058823
0588235294117647 × 6 = 3529411764705882
0588235294117647 × 4 = 2352941176470588