What is your favorite number (single digit integer*), and why?

[Gori the Grey]

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think I'm going to settle on (my hero) zero.

My understanding is that conceiving of zero, or of zero as a number, or of including zero in the scheme of numbers, actually represented an achievement for the human mind, on which mathematics could then be built. I kinda like that: a number we had to work for. Generally speaking the more you work for something, the more you value it.

Yep. I think I'm going with zero.

That's my final answer.

And now that I look at it in print, I also like it that the number is right there in the name: zero

 

[Kyriakos]

Thanks for the pm, NC

Re 4, well there is the following bit of pythagorianism, usually termed 'the tetrad':

1+2+3+4=10
which leads to any next level of magnitude as well (10+20+30+40=100 etc).

Useful to note that the ancient greek numbering system also ended on 10 (9), with 9 unique symbols for single-digit integers and then special symbol for its new magnitude, so it is entirely isomorphic to the arabian later one.

 

[Perfection]

It's only a binary choice.

Well, I'm an EE too...

 

[Borachio]

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think I'm going to settle on (my hero) zero.

My understanding is that conceiving of zero, or of zero as a number, or of including zero in the scheme of numbers, actually represented an achievement for the human mind, on which mathematics could then be built. I kinda like that: a number we had to work for. Generally speaking the more you work for something, the more you value it.

Yep. I think I'm going with zero.

That's my final answer.

And now that I look at it in print, I also like it that the number is right there in the name: zero

I agree that zero was an achievement. And a significant one.

Not as significant as 1, though. The genius who came up with that deserves our respect.

You can do a lot of things with zero, but people did manage without it fairly well for a very long time.

 

[ArguCa]

Probably 1 - 4 - 5 - 3 Couldn't decide

 

[caketastydelish]

Why is 4 afraid of 5? Because 5 had 6 with 7.

 

[Kyriakos]

^7 is a well known cannibal :\