In the infinite world of numbers, I like prime numbers best
I will give you an example, from my number treasure chest
It's eighteen hundred eleven: A prime number of sorts
One defining feature, is all elevens which it sports
One of them is obvious. The following two are sums.
One is the number of bits, eighteen hundred eleven becomes
If translated to hexadecimal, we get seven, one and three
One line has been indented, to make it easier to see
One final thing before leaving; a young man worth grieving
I shed a tear, propose a toast and raise my crystal glass
I must not forget to mention; Evariste Galois
- - -
Some numbers have surprising properties, and 1811 is one of them.
The sum of its digits is eleven and its binary equivalent is a row of eleven ones and zeros. So if you write a poem with eleven lines and begin each line with the ones and zeros of the binary number, you can divide the lines into chunks with 1, 8, 1 and 1 lines, thereby representing the number in two ways.
Another related property of 1811 is that the sum of the digits of its hexadecimal equivalent is also eleven: "713". So by indenting the eighth line, the number is represented a third time, and that has been accomplished just by looking at the first letter of each line. Add the number of times the number is referred to in the text.
Not half bad if I may say so myself.
Evariste Galois was born in 1811.
He was arguably one of the nineteenth century's greatest mathemathical geniuses, but he was shot dead by a jealous man at age twenty.
I believe our world may have looked different if he had been allowed to live a few more years.
If you like number games like this, my books are for you.
The easiest read is probably "The Key Ring", sold as an e-book on Amazon.
You can read the first few pages of all my books for free here.
Andreas Bøe - 2014