28 June 2008

June 28

28 June (that is, 6/28) is the only date on the calendar year where both the day and the month are perfect numbers. A perfect number is one that is the sum of its positive divisors, excluding itself. Both 6 and 28 are perfect numbers; the next one is 496. A number's divisors are those numbers which, when multiplied, equal the number: 1x6=6, and 2x3=6. So the positive divisors of 6 are 1, 2, and 3. Add those together and you get 6. For 28, it's 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14. What does all this mean? Absolutely nothing. And it probably won't impress your date tonight (unless she's into math nerds). But by God if you can't celebrate something pointless and absurd then how can you celebrate anything at all?

2 comments:

The Former Lepidopterist said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Former Lepidopterist said...

I love that you have found a way to celebrate every day. :)
And I totally dig math nerds, and political nerds, and you, my favorite nerd of all!

Apologies to those who just lost their lunches.