ZERO to NINE - Subramanian Venkatachalam - Bog

This book is only about numbers. Every number is unique and has its own speciality. Each number has some unique properties. The numbers starting with zero up to nine are discussed in each chapter. When used as a counting number, zero means that no objects are present. It is the only integer (and in fact the only real number) that is neither negative nor positive. Among the whole numbers or integers, zero is unique. Numbers are fascinatingly complex in their relationships. There is beauty and magic in each number. The numbers also have a gender and can be male or female. Numbers have been classified in to odd and even. A number can be prime or composite. Number two is called the "oddest prime" because it is the only even prime number. Two and three have been called the "Siamese twins" among the primes, since they are the only two which are not separated by a composite number. You will read about Prime numbers, Perfect numbers, Lucky numbers, Happy numbers, Fermat numbers and a lot more numbers in this book. Nine is the last single digit number and it is peculiar in many respects. Figurate numbers starting with square and triangular numbers proceed up to nonagonal numbers. Magic squares composed of figurate numbers have been included. Numbers play an important part in any language especially so in English. Idioms and phrases using the numbers zero to nine along with their meanings have been discussed in Appendix A. Indian mythology and Sanskrit language contain several references to numbers and these are highlighted. Number recreations eventually come to Number Amusements. Students and others with an interest in mathematics for entertainment will enjoy reading this book. At the end of the book, one chapter is devoted to arithmetical problems. Over 200 questions have been included which vary in their difficulty from very simple to moderate and complex. Any person with even a slight interest in mathematics also will find this book very useful.