In the Loop: August 2024
Two Cents about Numbers
We're usually all about the words around here. But this month we're four-square behind the numbers. We see a lot of digits in our line of work—Econ papers, grant budgets, math articles—you name it, we've got your six (and all the other numbers, for that matter).
We hope to conquer the dictionary, letter by letter. Embrace your inner spelling nerd!
You can start by reading this month's newsletter, which includes most of your favorite features—Q&A, What's the Diff?, Stuff We Like, What a Weird Word. Our Pay It Forward feature is on summer hiatus, but it will be back before you know it.
Editing Q & A: Inclusive Numbers
Surprise! There's a trick to condensing numbers (but not necessarily an interesting trick). Here's a handy chart to help determine how to abbreviate numbers. It all depends on the first number:
Playlist: Strength in Numbers (click the image)
What's the Diff?
There are a lot of sneaky words out there—words with similar spellings, similar sounds, or just similar vibes. Here’s the lowdown on some of those commonly swapped-by-accident words.
Amount (n.): Amount refers to the total number or quantity of something. Specifically, amount is used with mass nouns or uncountable nouns (e.g., water, bravery, pollution, money).
Number (n.): Number refers to a sum of units. That is, number is used with count nouns (e.g., eyeballs, dogs, cartwheels, coins).
Cool Guide: Add It Up!
Stuff We Like
Watch this really cool video of math vs. animation.
Surprise! Different languages use different number systems.
Mathematician Jordan Ellenberg weighs in on math in movies and tv shows.
How many holes does an object have? What even is a hole? Nobody knows!
Beautiful photographs of mathematicians’ chalkboards (NYT).
Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire: Dany Levy answers 35 personal questions.
Sesame Street pinball number count (that’s right—it’s all the segments).
Math jokes in The Simpsons: I ate some pie; RDRR; I’m a mathmagician!
Move over pi, there are other famous numbers out there!
An almanac of interesting numbers, complete with scroll bar.
Do you think that zero is the most mind-bendy and weird of all the numbers? Vox does.
IDEAS, a CBC podcast, explores the greatest numbers of all time (spoiler alert: one of them is nine).
Pitchfork by the numbers.
“Numbers do not exist in all cultures.” [*record scratch*] Say what?
But why do humans have numbers? WHY?
“NUMBERS” is a poem about (wait for it) numbers.
At the intersection between math and literacy.
