MathPlus's definitions

Pitoid

Short for “Pi Factoid.” Tidbits or juicy bits about the number π that seldom make it to the side pages of math textbooks.

Some examples of pitoids are:
a) In a mathematical beauty contest, the number π would be the Miss Universe among the constants.
b) Aliens are more likely to communicate to earthlings in terms of e, i, and π rather than 0 and 1.
c) No number in popular culture is more famous than π.

by MathPlus October 19, 2021

f-mail

An email that the sender forgets to include the attached file meant for the recipient.

This week only, President Trump sent three f-mails to his administration, with zero apologies to his puzzled staff—it looks like his digital assistant Siri only executed the first part of his request.

by MathPlus October 4, 2018

4D Love

Christ’s exceeding love for believers that is too great for them to ever understand how wide and long and high and deep it is—a love that is beyond measure and that surpasses any form of human knowledge or wisdom.

A God who could not leave us to suffer eternal death and disease and sickness and sent His beloved Son to bear all our sins and sicknesses upon His own body, as demonstrated by His death on the cross, is divine proof of 4D love in action.

by MathPlus April 29, 2021

Mindful Math

Also known as “New Age Math.” When the buzzword “mindful” subliminally conveys the idea that one can master the most disliked school subject, by cultivating a relaxed mind for the brain to focus on what is required in a math question—a mind-over-math approach via meditation and relaxation to reduce fear and failure.

The math education industry hasn’t been spared by the Mindfulness Movement, which is promoting “Mindful Math” programs countrywide to target the math-anxious kids of the rich and the famous—they’re preaching the feel-good gospel that math success is more psychological than logical.

by MathPlus February 7, 2018

Pi Crusade

When some Trumpublicans are prepared to accommodate the request of creationists or evangelicals turned Bible-literalists to legislate the value of π as 3 (in reference to 1 Kings 7:23 and 2 Chronicles 4:2 in the Bible) rather than the approximated 3.14, in exchange for their “holy votes.”

Like their Pharisee-in-Chief boss, who was hell-bent to carry out a pi crusade in a failed attempt to get re-elected, a number of morally bankrupt lawmakers would like to do likewise if tens of thousands of extra votes would swing in their favor to retain their seats.

by MathPlus July 7, 2021

Coronials

The generation of babies who saw the light of day during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the coronavirus showing little sign of saying goodbye to earthlings, much to the delight of pharmaceutical companies.

What will be the population size of the coronials when the WHO finally declares the planet corona-free?

by MathPlus December 11, 2022

Singapore Math Envy

The desire and hope among a number of developing countries that their own students could do well in math, if they were to adopt a math curriculum similar to the one used in Singapore.

A few local publishers are laughing all the way to the bank, as the result of the Singapore math envy of some African countries, which have started importing Singapore math books for their schools.

by MathPlus October 9, 2016