Isn’t Math Wonderful? – September 2024

Beautiful patterns and neat results occur everywhere in mathemtics.  Here’s a combination of both that can also be used as a magic trick, if you’d like.

Take any two-digit number and multiply it by 101.  The number will repeat itself !

Examples:  67 x 101 = 6767;  43 x 101 – 4343; and so on.  (Can you see why that works?  You  might refer to this (9/30/24) Mailing’s Pesky Puzzler.)

Now take any three-digit number and multiply it by 1001.  Guess what will happen?!

Examples:  712 x 1001 = 712712;  190 x 1001 = 190190;  and so on.

If you make the right adjustments, this pattern will continue for 4- or 5- or 6- digit numbers and higher.  (Do you see the adjustments?)