Geeks love to analyze things, often to the point where non-geeks would call it excessive. Those of us with a mathematical bent tend to like finding interesting facts about each year as it arrives, since virtually every number has something interesting to note about it. To save you some time, here are four facts about 2013 that you can memorize and use tonight to impress the friends, family, acquaintances, and/or possibly complete strangers with whom you’re planning to ring in the new year. If it’s after midnight as you read this, there’s always New Year’s brunch conversation, right?
1. 2013 is composed of four different digits, and is the first such year since 1987.
2. 2013 is composed of four sequential digits, although obviously not in order. The last such year was nearly 600 years ago, back in 1432. But the next such year is only 18 years away.
3. 2013, 2014, and 2015 are consecutive years each of which is the product of three distinct primes (3 x 11 x 61, 2 x 19 x 53, and 5 x 13 x 31, respectively). The last such three-year sequence was back in 1885-1887, and the next one isn’t until 2665-2667.
4. As was 2012, 2013 is one of only 45 multi-digit numbers that, when spelled out in English, are alliterative (i.e., “two thousand thirteen”). (I will leave it as an exercise for the reader to figure out the other 43 on the list.)
Have a happy and safe New Year, everyone!
Image via christmasstockimages.com, used under Creative Commons Attribution license.
