Numerati's definitions

Spatial Structuring

When students exercise shape flexibility in solving a math problem to enhance their understanding, or to figure out any hidden or nonobvious relationship between the known and unknown quantities, such as moving and rearranging parts of a bar model drawing or/and adding dotted lines to a model diagram.

It’s not surprising that those who practice spatial structuring stand a higher chance of solving a word problem when using the “draw a diagram” strategy than their peers who don’t.

by Numerati January 29, 2025

The Singapore Mathematics Calendar

A math calendar à la Singapour, which is designed in such a way that the answer to the problem on each day is the date on which the question appears, aims to develop in children a positive attitude towards the world’s most disliked school subject—when they are exposed to the beauty and joy of math rather than seeing it as a mere drill-and-kill subject.

The Singapore Mathematics Calendar—which takes three or four times longer to write than a typical assessment (or supplementary) math title, and costs a few folds more in publishing it—is a first in Singapore math publishing, as it offers students a creative and fun way to learning math, while honing their problem-solving skills.

by Numerati November 25, 2024

Pilanthropy

Short for “Pi Philanthropy.” A showy donation by a geeky or vanity billionaire to fund pi research, which could inexplicably or allegedly help save planet Earth from extinction, or which would increase the chances of earthlings communicating with extraterrestrials in order to avoid any mishap that could lead into a galactic war.

Bezos and Branson are donating close to half a billion bucks to the Center of Pi Research—doesn’t their pilanthropy sound like some kind of insincere telescopic philanthropy to distract the skeptical public from questioning why both are paying so little tax on the billions they’d amassed during the pandemic?

by Numerati August 10, 2023

Rogue Ratios

Quantitative bad deals whereby enslaved workers or employees are being taken advantage of by their bosses or entrepreneurs, who have financial control over their lives, be it five days of work in exchange for a weekend break (5 : 2)—an investment of –60%—or a two-week annual leave (2 : 52), or a 5% savings rate on gross salary for 40 years.

Millions of people around the world are aware of the rogue ratios that force them to live a mediocre life, but only a very percentage of them think they can work for a better ratio to achieve financial freedom.

by Numerati August 17, 2023

X

The name of an arguably mismanaged company, invariably defined by a range of unknowns or variables, such as the true value of its assets, the number of fake or spam accounts, the uncertain dismissal of more employees with declining ad revenue, its decision to allow hate speech on its platform, and its possible sale to a gullible or rogue owner to avoid bankruptcy.

What are the odds that with all the lawsuits, fines, and more advertisers deserting the platform, not to say, the low morale among its overworked staff, X might be the next Blockbuster or Kodak?

by Numerati August 3, 2023

Zero Fucks

When someone doesn’t give a heck or damn if they feel they were or are right, even if others didn’t or don’t like them because of it.

Leaders can’t lead their sheep effectively unless they give zero fucks to all those oft-unreasonable or biased complains or protests against them.

by Numerati January 26, 2024

Numeracy Hubs

Where school libraries in both elementary and middle schools, working with local partners, try to tackle numeracy issues in lower-income communities nationwide, where low levels of numeracy (and literacy) are impacting on people’s lives.

Civic groups in red-pilled states want oft-morally corrupt lawmakers to persuade businesses to fund more numeracy hubs to reduce the high rate of poverty among nonwhite families.

by Numerati September 28, 2025