Everything you wanted to know about the number 175

from http://www.durangobill.com/Ramanujan.html

If you mention the number “1729” or the phrase “Taxicab Problem” to any mathematician, it will immediately bring up the subject of the self-taught Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. When Ramanujan was dying of tuberculosis in a hospital, G. H. Hardy would frequently visit him. It was on one of these visits that the following occurred according to C. P. Snow.

“Hardy used to visit him, as he lay dying in hospital at Putney. It was on one of those visits that there happened the incident of the taxicab number. Hardy had gone out to Putney by taxi, as usual his chosen method of conveyance. He went into the room where Ramanujan was lying. Hardy, always inept about introducing a conversation, said, probably without a greeting, and certainly as his first remark: ‘I thought the number of my taxicab was 1729. It seemed to me rather a dull number.’ To which Ramanujan replied: ‘No, Hardy! No, Hardy! It is a very interesting number. It is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways.’”

 

Well, who'd have thought it? "175 is the natural number following 174 and preceding 176." Astounding!

 

Shew! I feel smarter already. I had to quit reading that link. I was afraid that I would reach Brother Quantumfaith's level of intelligence if I didn't quit reading. Naw, I could never attain that level of knowledge.

When he types some things on here, I usually have a one word response. "Huh"? And this is coming from someone with a college education. 111 college hrs, with a Assoc. in Applied Science.

 

I like playing around with numbers.

For instance, the number 9 is special.

9x2 = 18 -- 1+8=9
9X3 = 27 -- 2+7=9

And so on.

Then, there is the story of the mising dollar.

Three men check into a motel and the cost of the room is $30. Each man pays $10. The clerk, upon checking, realizes that the actual cost of the room is $25, so returns back to the room with 5 - $1 bills. The men in the room were so impressed at the honesty of the clerk so they decide to tip him $2. So, each man ended up with $1. Add that up, each paid $9 for the room. 9x3 + 27. Add the $2 tip = $29. Where did the extra dollar go?