MathPlus's definitions

Holy Pi

When the number π self-proclaims to be God’s “anointed” number, because it is the most famous constant in the whole of mathematics—no number has had such an impact on popular culture that even some mathophobic folks wouldn’t mind tattooing it conspicuously to look mathematically cool in the same way that unbelievers wear a cross to appear religious.

Because π is the beloved symbol of choice for millions of people worldwide, or even deified by some pi fanatics and numerologists, it’s not preposterous for the “sacred number” to be conferred the title of “Holy Pi.”

by MathPlus May 28, 2021

Piccine

A one-time vaccine, touted by dubious pharmaceutical companies, that allegedly helps boost someone’s mathematical brain, by activating their atrophied cerebral cells to think more logically, rationally, and critically—a jab that could shoot their IQ to no fewer than a dozen points.

Rogue doctors from China, India, and Nigeria are discretely or secretly promoting piccine shots to gullible villagers, when they come down to get their partially trialed Covid-19 jabs.

by MathPlus May 29, 2021

Math Shot

When publishers or bookstores decide to offer a big discount to vaccinated customers keen to hone their mathematical problem-solving or guesstimation skills, who show their vaccination card and the math book to the cashier—a promotion to get kids, parents, and teachers all jabbed to minimize infection or reinfection, not to say, hospitalization.

At a popular bookstore, the math shot promotion for a set of four Singapore math textbooks and workbooks is: “$39 with Shots; $144 sans Shots.”

by MathPlus May 30, 2021

Vietnamese Variant

A “very dangerous” hybrid of the two highly transmissible Indian and UK Covid-19 strains, whose infectivity, transmissivity, and lethality levels have yet to be unveiled by Vietnam's health ministry.

Arrange the following corona mutants in ascending order in terms of their deadliness: Indian variant, South African variant, UK variant, Vietnamese variant.

by MathPlus May 31, 2021

Viral Inequality

When some corona variants see themselves more powerful or attention-grabbing than others, because of their higher rate of infection, transmission, or destruction.

Just when the UK and Indian Covid-19 strains thought they were the most dangerous viruses plaguing the world, the Vietnamese or North Korean variant could outwit them both, thus showing that the viral inequality between present variants and new hybrids is getting wider over time.

by MathPlus May 31, 2021

Pi

WHO's yet-to-be-approved 16th letter of the Greek alphabet as a politically correct label for the politically charged “Trumpvirus”—named after Trum-pi-sm—to avoid stigmatizing any right-wing inept head of state who failed to prevent millions of infections and thousands of deaths.

Diehard Trumpists and hardcore QAnonists have complained to the World Health Organization that Democrat lawmakers’ and US-unfriendly nations’ use of “Trumpvirus” is discriminatory or demeaning, so they suggested rechristening it to “Pi,” and proposed “Tau” for its twice deadly variant (B.6.28).

by MathPlus May 31, 2021

North Korean Variant

When Dictator Kim’s rogue scientists are covertly working on a few hybrids of presently known corona variants with the aim of releasing them into unfriendly nations that want to end his three-generation dynasty, or that refuse to remove any trade sanctions against the recluse kingdom.

What are the odds that the detection of the deadliest North Korean variant on US shores and those of its allies could lead to the flattening of Pyongyang?

by MathPlus May 31, 2021