Numerati's definitions

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

Is Pi Democrat or Republican?

When politicians and philosophers fail to agree whether the irrational number π subscribes to the liberal or woke ideology of the Democratic Party, or shares the conservative or puritan beliefs of the Republican Party (and maybe even the MAGA gospel of the Trumpublican cult).

Metamathematicians don’t think that π will ever conform to the biblical value of three, which is preached by some alt-right Christian nationalists, while far-left ethnomathematicians divine that π holds the secret to the workings of the universe. Is pi Democrat or Republican?

by Numerati June 28, 2025

Rainbow

The sign that reminds God of the eternal covenant or promise He had established between Him and all living creatures on Earth to never ever allow a flood to destroy all life on the planet.

The rainbow is a visible symbol of God’s faithfulness since the days of Noah—when God’s judgment fell on His sinful people.

by Numerati September 11, 2024

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

What if?

Two of the most powerful words in your vocabulary that could empower you to change the world and make it a better place for billions of people on the planet.

Asking “What if?” is all about possibility. What if Trump were a truth teller? What if Kim were a peacemaker? What if Christ came back next summer?

by Numerati February 8, 2024

Zombie Math

When canned and conventional math methods (or dated and dead ideas) live on, and anxious teachers and parents rely on old school techniques to solve word problems, especially when oft-visual problem-solving strategies are available to help students with “look-see” solutions.

Tens of thousands of American math teachers are stuck with zombie math, refusing to experiment with Singapore’s more intuitive bar model method in solving brain-unfriendly math questions.

by Numerati December 9, 2024