Numbers: they surround us. No matter where you look, it’s likely you’ll find Arabic numerals in a date, a time, a quantity, or even a math equation. But, due to the gargantuan presence that numbers have on our lives, it’s inevitable that opinions are formed about them, or stories formed around them. For example, many cultures form myths and superstitions around certain numbers, while others create number-based idioms that are commonly used in conversation.
Worst 5 numbers
- Thirteen
Thirteen is perhaps the most superstitious number, especially in cultures that traditionally use the Lunar Calendar. In a lunar year, there are 12 “perfect” months and all the leftover days are put into a 13th, shorter (and oftentimes unlucky) month. For this reason, many buildings in east Asia (where lunar calendars are, historically, the most prevalent) skip the 13th floor. Furthermore, 13 is the quantity traditionally called a “baker’s dozen” (an expression I do not particularly like, as it’s rare that I ever have to reference a quantity of specifically 13). But despite all these unique qualities and superstitious importance, it is not a good number. It’s not divisible by anything (by virtue of it being a prime), something that makes calculations with it particularly difficult. Perhaps this number doesn’t sit right with me because it’s one of the two “-teens” that uses their cardinal number in their name (the other one being fifteen), or perhaps because the combination of 1 and 3 make an asymmetrical mess. In all, I do not like 13 and never use it for anything due to its superstitious background.
- Four
Four is a particularly weak number, because it struggles to follow in two’s wake as the second even number. Despite being the first perfect square, it’s still unequivocally boring. It’s not really any fault of four that it is overshadowed by the sheer greatness that is two, but this circumstance makes it pale in comparison. It’s not only the lackluster nature of four that is its downfall though, it’s also its lack of real significance. Four is the age one year after most begin forming memories, so it doesn’t represent any real threshold. Furthermore, when one tries to make the case of four’s significance by citing the amount of weeks in a lunar month, this is ineffective and largely false. This is because, only one month even has four weeks (February) and that’s only 75% of the months! While 4 has potential since it’s 2 squared, this is its only redeeming quality. These negatives are what place it soundly in second-to-last place.
- One Hundred and Eleven
111 is a cheat and a lie. A scab on the nearly perfect record of eleven, it tricks many multiplication-table-learning elementary schoolers every year. It uses the beauty of 11 to construct its facade, a quasi-square of eleven. Many look at 111 and presume it to be 11 squared, but they are sorely mistaken – 121 is 11 squared. It’s also the most important “angel number”, but this in and of itself is again deceit (because I don’t care for angel numbers). Recognizing the same numbers often is simply the manifestation of human pattern recognition, but instead it’s twisted into spiritual jibber-jabber that equates coincidence to the divine. I am not a fan of conmen, and thus I am not a fan of the number 111, which earns it third-to-last place.
- One
While this may be a controversial pick, I believe it’s sound. The number one is so low on this list because it lacks mystery. It’s quite literally the most simple you can get, as is evidenced in its ease of writing in many scripts, such as in Mandarin Chinese, Roman numerals, and the Arabic numerals that we know and love. While being simple and unassuming isn’t totally bad, as is showcased by our beloved number two, taking this to an extreme is what leads to one’s downfall. In my opinion, one shouldn’t even be considered a number, it is more like the essence of a number. When one tries to mathematically operate on numbers using the number one, they are left with dull results. Multiplying by, dividing by, or even raising something to the power of one just leads you right back to where you were – the original numbers. It’s this uselessness that leads me to place the number one so low on this list, despite its prominence.
- Zero
Zero is so pessimistic. It detracts away from everything. When you multiply any number by zero, it just brings it down to zero. When you raise any number to the power of zero, it makes the number one (a number I’ve already outlined my hatred for). Zero is also a bandwagon digit, since it came a few thousand years after the other digits. In Chinese for example, the character for zero (零) is notably more complex than other numbers like three (三) because it was invented after the invention of the Chinese character system! I don’t like how zero attempts to piggyback off the success of the other digits, and that’s why it’s placed as the fifth-to-last number of them all.
Top 5 Numbers
- Eleven
Eleven is a curious case for me, as it suffers from the same negatives that plague thirteen. But, despite its disadvantage in the rankings, 11 makes up for it in its mathematical and symbolic significance. When multiplied with any of the 9 digits, it repeats the number twice (ex: 11 times 2 is 22), a characteristic that makes dividing small multiples of 11 super quick and satisfying. Furthermore, eleven has strong temporal significance, because it is the optimal time to go to sleep for many and also the age where children start to make their transition into teenagehood. It also is the first number to cross the ten threshold, making it a powerful base on which to make idioms about pushing limits (e.g. turning something “up to eleven). It’s this mathematical satisfaction that is inherent with this numerical palindrome and its significance in everyday life that secures it the fifth spot on this ranking.
- Nine
Nine is both mathematically interesting and culturally significant. Much like 11, multiplying a digit by 9 results in the digit times 10 minus 9, which is pretty fire in my humble opinion. This also made it extremely useful in elementary school. Nine is also the square of three, a number which I particularly enjoy. But the real beauty of the number 9 lies in its prominence within English idioms. For example, much like cranking something “up to 11” denotes the exceeding of limits, “going the whole 9 yards” is all about the pushing of limits to 10. The number 9 makes me happy, or rather, “on cloud 9.” For this reason, it is the fourth best number.
- Three
Three is an interesting number, as while it may not outwardly exude any significance, a deeper look reveals anything but. It’s the closest integer to the two most mathematically significant constants, pi (3.1415…) and e (2.7183…), and is the square root of nine, a number I particularly enjoy. It’s also an extremely significant number in many religions, as it represents the Holy Trinity in Christianity and other trinitarian religions. The number 3 is also the crux of a phrase I live by: “third time’s a charm.” For these reasons, three is the third best number.
- Seven
Seven is an unexpected, but satisfying number. It is a factor of very unexpected numbers (like 105 and, rather surprisingly, 999,999). Its significance in religion and spirituality is huge. In Christianity, the number seven is found in Noah’s seven laws and with the seven archangels. It’s also significant in the world, denoting the seven continents and the seven wonders of the world. Though these factors add to my love for seven, its mathematical surprises really seals the deal.
- Two
Oh two, where do I begin? Two is the most important number in my opinion, in the world of mathematics and computer science (and the world in general). It’s the base of base 2 (as the name suggests) and forms the foundation for all programming. Furthermore, it’s the mother of all even numbers, numbers that prove very useful and easy to use when doing quick arithmetic. Its design is also simple but absurdly alluring, with the top hook being juxtaposed with its flat base. It also is the power that forms all squares and the denominator of the power that forms all square roots (½). This is why I have crowned two the king of all numbers, the summit of an infinitely tall mountain. Two, you are officially the best number.
