- 3
- 1
- 7
- 4
- 8
- 2
- 5
- 6
- 9
*****
update: a number of you have asked me how the number 1 could finish behind the number 3. Simple: 3 is a magic number; and 1—while certainly a very formidable challenger—lacks that whole “it takes three legs to make a tripod or to make a table stand” thing that makes 3 so magical. As for 9, well, I hope one day that that once very edgy number returns to form and gets the enormous numerical chip off its shoulder.
This is totally bogus. 9 should be first because it is the first odd number that isn’t a prime number.
As far as 3 being #1, does this make you a closet trinitarian?
Three cheers for Prime Numbers!
Don’t let your lady-friend (I think you have one) see how you’ve denigrated the number of couplehood. And speaking of the number 2, isn’t it ungrateful of you—a blogger who uses a COMPUTER—to rank the binary number so low?
Other than that, great list.
Why are four and eight ranked so highly? I mean, ahead of five? Come on, really now …
Of course! It’s so simple! 1 should have finished behind 3, since 1 IS the loneliest number. And 2 finishing down in the pack makes sense, since it’s the loneliest number since the number 1.
Please explain why ‘7’ is ranked number three.. Being a Jew I’d think you’d have more respect for a number that plays such key roles in the Old Testament.. as well as being a prime number. Plus of course its association with the sport of craps.
How many numbers have you had today?
Oh, now on this, I totally agree. I absolutely LOVE “3”. It’s number one in my book.
I like the magic of i – though it is likely (though I don’t know if anyone is sure) that it does not fall between 1 and 9 being the square root of -1. But ‘tis most complex.
Turing spam buster is ‘types’ of course …
Were these in any particular order? My faves, in no particular order, are 295738146. I think you all know how I feel about 0.
I demand a recount!
Don’t be surprised if 9 de-links you.
Are we restricted to whole numbers? If not I’d rank pi at #1. Followed closely by e, the natural log base.
mmmmm…pi!
+e
I’m OUTRAGED by this list! I DEMAND PI!
I detect a bit of pro-integer bias. I had a real analysis professor who once declared that ”e makes the world go ‘round.”
(e = 2.7181… , the “natural” exponential base)
Dude,
Forget all the math crap, prime numbers, pi and all that. Number 9 is #1 because of the naughty number nine Schoolhouse Rock video.
Wait…is this for real or one of your “funny” posts? I can’t tell! OH, THE HUMANITY!
Jeff, you must stop tweaking that poor boy.
Hey–I participated in you-know-who’s latest you-know-what. And I think this is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time.
Frankly, since you are obviously restricting yourself to whole numbers, there are in fact not nine numbers between 1 and 9. There are in fact seven. They are for you edification: 2,3,4,5,6, and 7.
There is ‘7’ once again.. See? It should have been #1=7
Of the numbers cited, which are the funniest, heuristically speaking?
I don’t understand why 9 has received such a low rating. Don’t forget Love Potion Number Nine. And Plan Nine From Outer Space. And dressing to the nines. And nine millimeter.
And don’t forget The Beatles’ “Revolution #9”. “number nine…number nine…number nine…number nine…”
Oh, and 8.
Sorry, the blond on the right got me distracted.
Who are you?
The new Number 2.
Who is Number 1?
You are Number 6.
I am not a number; I am a free man!
{{evil maniacal laughter in the background}} Yeah, right. Just try and get a hunting license in this state without giving them your “number.” Numbnuts.
i totally agree with that 3 being a magic number thing.
A man and a woman had a little baby
Yes they did
And they had 3 in the family
It’s a magic number
Scholastic Rocks!
Now if 6 turned out to be 9,
I don’t mind, I don’t mind.
If all the hippies cut off all their hair,
I don’t care, I don’t care.
Not to mention that 3’s a wild card in poker baseball. Which means you’ve got wild cards leading off and in the pitcher’s slot. Meanwhile you’ve got 4 as No. 4. Seems like for a dime you could move it up to No. 3. No. 9’s ranking makes no sense at all, however. Unless it burned you on an inside straight at some point. In which case I feel your pain.
Which reminds me, I recently told my armadillo story to a group of urbane Denverites. They were not amused. I’d link, but your search engine discourages exploration.
I can’t help thinking that 3 was happy to be #1 and that 1 was disappointed to be #3.
Nevertheless, the absense of a schoolhouse rock video for the number one cannot be discounted. Anti-one bias has quite a pedigree. Everyone wants to be #1, but no one roots for #1….it’s always the underdog which is naturally some lower number.
some thoughts:
1 is probably underrated.
7 is just lucky.
6 seems, well, umm, boring. doncha think?
6 is both the best and most underrated number. First off, from number theory, 6 is the first Perfect number (Perfect numbers: 6, 28, 496, 8128…). Also its the first that is a factorial of a number other than itself (1!=1, 2!=2, 3!=6, 4!=24). AND it is the only number between 1 and 9 that is the multiple of two different primes. 6 isn’t boring. Its just subtle.
There you go, having to bring subtle into it! and we all know that subtle is actually a codeword for nuanced.
Admit it! You’re trying to say that the Red-State rubes are simply too unsophisticated to see why 6 is such a hot number.
You and your liberal math-laden condescension… you’re just attacking people of faith because the Trinity was ranked #1. Come on, bring the “theocracy” talk. Anti-religious bigot!