MathPlus's definitions

Pi Striptease

When the irrational and transcendental number π occasionally reveals herself to excite the mathematical brethren of her numerical or geometric hidden properties, be it through some new beautiful pattern or little juicy theorem.

Both number theorists and numerologists get pretty aroused when they get invited to attend a pi striptease event (by invitation only), whose aha! moments could get them mathematically excited for days.

by MathPlus September 1, 2021

Make Masks Mandatory Again

The call by medical personnel to half-hearted pro-Trump politicians in a number of red states that have started to witness a rise in corona infection in spite of the fact that more people are continually being vaccinated—a “proof” that vaccination doesn’t prevent infection or reinfection, and that mask-wearing is a necessary irritation until the population achieves herd immunity.

Should “Make Masks Mandatory Again” be elevated or promoted to an official slogan to educate patriots and conspiracists that they’d still wear a mask in public squares, especially when it’s difficult to practice social distancing in a crowded space?

by MathPlus May 22, 2021

Grab Generation

Those who would conveniently or lazily order their meal via the Grab app even though they could easily step out of their house and walk a few meters away to have their breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a nearby food court or hawker center.

What would be the long-term health condition for the Grab generation, who rely on takeaways and practice zero exercise?

by MathPlus April 3, 2021

Devilish Pi

The hypothesis that deep inside the digits of the decimal number π there is a string of 666 successive sixes rubbing shoulders—the number 666 is notoriously known as the “Beast or Devil Number.”

Recreational mathematicians think that should they locate the devilish pi, that might be very disturbing to theologians, who could alarmingly interpret such a recurring occurrence as a proof that the devil is in the digits.

by MathPlus March 31, 2020

Why Can’t Math Be Like Sex?

If teachers and textbook authors would creatively present the oft-sterile math curriculum in a form that would get students excited about the beauty of the subject, by not adulterating but contextualizing the content—by letting learners see both the mathematical forest and the trees.

Mathematics is too important to be left in the hands of mostly uncreative authors or publishers; as a result, teachers and parents would need to sexify the most boring subject in school—they need to ask, “why can’t math be like sex?” to lure unmotivated or mathophobic students.

by MathPlus December 1, 2018

COVID-19 MATH

Math questions that leverage on the coronavirus pandemic—lockdowns, infections, deaths, face masks, social distancing measures, stimulus packages, tax rebates, rent reliefs, vaccines, and the like—to hone students’ problem-solving or guesstimation skills.

Two Covid-19 math questions are:

1. After parking their cars, 317 Trump supporters took a bus instead of walked to the rally. Each bus can hold 28 passengers. How many buses were needed to ferry them?
2. Eric and Don each have a certain number of face masks. If Eric gave Don five masks, Don would have twice as many masks as him. If Don gave five masks to Eric, they each would have the same number of masks. How many face masks does each brother have? Answer: Eric: 25, Don: 35.

by MathPlus December 16, 2020

I infect, therefore I am.

The coronavirus’s motto until its days on earth are numbered—when the chances of its deadliest strand winning the viral war are near-zero; henceforth, it would journey to hell and to other galactic regions to claim more lives.

Ms. Corona had to compromise with Lucifer, who wanted her to adopt the slogan “I kill, therefore I am.”; instead, the Father of lies decided to let her use “I infect, therefore I am.”

by MathPlus February 21, 2021