filmov
tv
Mathematical Limerick ~ A Dozen, A Gross, and a Score

Показать описание
There are quite a few mathematical limericks in existence. This poetic form seems to 'lend itself' to a light-hearted view of the subject matter.
The limerick that I share here would be one of the better known ones that I have encountered.
Concerning its authorship, I originally wrote:
"It seems as though two or three people have been credited with creating it but the most credible source that I know of is Jon Saxon, author of the Saxon Mathematics text books. If you have more information about the origin of this limerick that you can share with me, please leave a comment."
I have since found reference on the Internet that, although the limerick appeared in one of Jon Saxon's textbooks, it was actually created by Leigh Mercer, a London wordplay artist and recreational mathematician and published in Games magazine in the 1970s. This is the same Leigh Mercer who, apparently, also created the famous palindrome, “A man, a plan, a canal — Panama!”
It helps to set the record straight.
The limerick is:
A dozen, a gross, and a score
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Equals nine times itself ... nothing more.
(There are variants on the last line.)
What amazes me is that, not only does it conform extremely well to the structure and rhythm of a limerick, but the mathematics is actually true! It works! I think that is a wonderful achievement.
You might like to create a mathematical limerick of your own. You will quickly discover that it is no trival matter ... but, if you succeed, I am confident that you will find the exercise abundantly rewarding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you wish to be kept up to date with what I am producing on the website (ad free, spam free, cost free mathematics and study materials), please add your name to the mailing list there.
Best wishes for your study and your mathematics!
Thank you.
The limerick that I share here would be one of the better known ones that I have encountered.
Concerning its authorship, I originally wrote:
"It seems as though two or three people have been credited with creating it but the most credible source that I know of is Jon Saxon, author of the Saxon Mathematics text books. If you have more information about the origin of this limerick that you can share with me, please leave a comment."
I have since found reference on the Internet that, although the limerick appeared in one of Jon Saxon's textbooks, it was actually created by Leigh Mercer, a London wordplay artist and recreational mathematician and published in Games magazine in the 1970s. This is the same Leigh Mercer who, apparently, also created the famous palindrome, “A man, a plan, a canal — Panama!”
It helps to set the record straight.
The limerick is:
A dozen, a gross, and a score
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Equals nine times itself ... nothing more.
(There are variants on the last line.)
What amazes me is that, not only does it conform extremely well to the structure and rhythm of a limerick, but the mathematics is actually true! It works! I think that is a wonderful achievement.
You might like to create a mathematical limerick of your own. You will quickly discover that it is no trival matter ... but, if you succeed, I am confident that you will find the exercise abundantly rewarding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you wish to be kept up to date with what I am producing on the website (ad free, spam free, cost free mathematics and study materials), please add your name to the mailing list there.
Best wishes for your study and your mathematics!
Thank you.
Комментарии