h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi MJ,

Me again! I'm trying very hard to write like any normal person this morning and ditch the idiosyncratic 'style' I seem to have got stuck with.

I noticed from your 'Ramblings' that numbers seem to have an appeal to you. That's really in my view - I like 'em too

Have you come across this before? The number 142857 is sort of special. Do you know why/how? If you've no idea (which somehow I doubt) , try writing it in a 'circle' (i.e. as if it were on a clock-face) - that might give you a clue.

I can almost hear you thinking, ''dunno what he's on about - everybody knows about this one,'' but just in case you don't, I think it might amuse you. Your daughter might know, of course. She seems to have the same liking for things numerical. - - that's me gasping for a by the way; NOT putting it out at you.

Some time, when you've got a spare few minutes, have a look at my journal entries. There's not much of them yet but I'm planning to ramble on a bit there about matters musical (inter alia).

I'm going to now and get that .



Bxxxx
xx

Hi Bxxxx,

Thanks for your surprise message.
Funny you've noticed the numbers as I'm not very mathematically minded at all but the 42 challenge appealed. As you'll have noticed though, I've had more than a bit of help from my friends...there are some mathematical geniuses around on these boards who've come to my rescue when I've sought help!

Hmmm never seen that 142857 puzzle before but written round as a clock the opposites add up to 9...but 3 and 6 aren't there...what else is special? It was only recently that I was told about opposite sides on a die... People who call it a dice turn me into Mrs Pedantic - not your wife you understand, I'm not hyphenated! It's even in a maths text book I have - a page headed How to make a Dice.

Kids not in bed - must go and nag one or two...

Love
MJ

Hello again MJ

Here's something to do with 142857,as promised.

First; Multiply it by 2, then compare the answer with the 'clock-face' version.

Second; Multiply it by 3 (the 142857, not the result of the above), then compare the answer with the 'clock-face' version.

Then by 4 )
Then by 5 } each time comparing the answer with the 'clock- face' version
Then by 6 )


Finally, By 7.


Good, innit?

I expect by now you've realised how you can http://really * impress any friends who don't know about this .

Or, if you haven't seen the http://full * significance of the number yet, I'll tell you next time.


Getting late again so I'm off for some supper. It'll have to include some so I suppose I'll then have to finish off with a


See you soon




Bxxxx




*can't do 'emphasis' yet without the http bit showing - any tips?