I was having a conversation with someone about number lists and it took a turn towards the affinity numerologists have to changing a number into another one by where it falls on a list. The most frequent occurrence is easily where a prime number is placed on the list of prime numbers. This discussion expanded into what other numbers can be considered to represent different numbers with lists that, constants, and historical references that I haven't seen. Yet.
With some trepidation I offer up some suggestions that have not cropped up. Yet. Any fears that I might train these people to spread more misinformation is mitigated by beating them to the punch and general lack of usefulness.
Perhaps prime numbers are "cool" because the word prime is an adjective with good connotations. Prime rib. Prime real estate. Primo piece of tail I picked up at the bar. Why not use the list of non-prime numbers? 2 is the only prime number that isn't odd. Odd means strange or unusual. It would make sense to want to know where a number stands in regards to it not being strange.
Fibonacci numbers increase dramatically and serve little value in a list. It doesn't take long to get beyond the three digit usefulness threshold numerologists stick to. Why not combine the coolness of prime numbers and pare down the list if Fibonacci numbers to just those that are prime?
Let's call this the list of pizza slice numbers*. If a pizza is sliced into pieces and one cut is off center there is an extra slice in the center. The list is ,2,4,7,11,16,22,29...and so on. It's similar to triangular numbers with a different starting point.
I'm especially fond of this one. The mathematical concept of e. Since Pi is constantly misrepresented as 22/7 why not this famous constant? I even have the perfect application. You can call it the Banker's number since it is used to calculate impound interest. Every time it appears you can tie it in to what war the evil bankers just started. It's approximately equal to 2.718, so good luck with that. You don't report on four digit numbers, so you figure out whether to truncate it to 271, round up to 272 or use either with the old tried and true, "Close enough" axiom you use.
I have more. But I must save something for other holidays and birthdays coming up.
* In honor of my recent revelation on Cale Coleman and his relationship to ducklings I will refer to this as Coleman's list. Instead of a pizza, picture a really fat duckling being sliced up. 29 is my personal 6th favorite number, partially because it is on Coleman's list.
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