MathPlus's definitions

Father’s Day in a Pandemic

When the most important day of the year for millions of earthly fathers in pre-pandemic days is already low key or an almost a non-event, unlike Mother’s Day that looks more like a year long affair— Father’s Day has taken a back seat in human or family relationship during this coronavirus crisis, when eating or dining out is forbidden in many parts of the world that are experiencing their second, third, or fourth wave.

This year, ironically or sadly speaking, in a number of liberal countries, Father’s Day in a pandemic is being celebrated in homes where the child is looked after by two dads rather than one—it’s Fathers’ Day, or Father’s Day 2.0, that would test the moral or social fabric of Generation Y or Z in coming decades.

by MathPlus June 19, 2021

Scaramucci Number

A palindrome number that is divisible by 11, such as 121, 1331, and 123,456,787,654,321—a "mirror number" that is a multiple of 11.

Anthony worked at the White House for almost a Scaramucci number of hours, before he's fired.

by MathPlus August 6, 2017

Coke Bottle

A patented 3D glass structure that embodies both feminine curvature and phallic symbolism—its sensual shape makes it a collectible of choice among both lay and serious bottle collectors.

The Coke bottle is an American product that has conquered every country since 1915.

by MathPlus November 22, 2021

Stop the Steal

What math authors want to tell their local and foreign publishers in Singapore to cease using their content sans their permission in their sample chapters they submit to tender local and foreign projects; to pay them their due royalty when they sell their copyrights at book fairs; and not to rob them, by unscrupulously replacing their names with foreign ones when their textbooks are tailor-made for developing markets.

Singapore will continue to be a first-class economy with a third-class educational publishing industry as long as its unethical publishers pay lip service to stop the steal, with a number of morally corrupt and inept people occupying key positions still around today.

by MathPlus December 8, 2020

Nazi Math

German math textbooks that were used during the reign of Adolf Hitler in the Second World War, whose word problems often mockingly or sickeningly demonize the “undesirables.”

One 1941 Nazi math question is: “Every day, the state spends RM 6 on one cripple; RM 4 1/2on one mentally ill person; RM 5 1/2 on one deaf and dumb person; RM 5 3/5 on one feeble-minded person; RM 3 on one alcoholic; RM 4 4/5 on one pupil in care; RM 2 1/10 on one pupil at a special school; and RM 9/20 for one pupil at a normal school. Calculate the expenditure of the state for one pupil in a special school and one pupil in an ordinary school over eight years and state the amount of higher cost engendered by the special school pupil.”

by MathPlus December 29, 2020

Singapore

An educational mecca for budget-conscious tourists, who are looking for some cheap, cool math books for their kids whose math grades have hardly improved from using locally published textbooks.

Although Singapore is arguably a first-class economy with a third-rate educational publishing industry—which often condones Machiavellian math practices—however, its wallet-friendly math K-12 titles are sought after by homeschoolers in many developed and developing countries.

by MathPlus September 16, 2018

Pi Trance

When autistic folks or idiot savants claim that hours-long meditation on the digits of the decimal number π puts them in some kind of hypnotic state, thus allowing their mind’s eye to see sexy numerical relationships, or kaleidoscopic geometric shapes linked to the “sacred” digits of the transcendental pi in hyperspace.

Pure mathematicians or number theorists obsessed with the beautiful properties of π love to indulge themselves in pi trance activities, hoping to experience a few aha! moments in the process.

by MathPlus July 13, 2021