Everyday Is A Schoolday

[maggiebee]

Was watching an old episode of Lewis and for the first time in my life learned about "perfect numbers". Very interesting, as was the fact that two of the characters were Bernie and Isaac (Dom's abusive partner) from Holby City. Both looked very young but nice to see them play totally different roles.

[ToraToraTora]

you never learned about perfect numbers at school?

[Jackdaw33]

I learnt about perfect numbers at school but to be quite honest I couldn't see the point. It's the sum of its divisors equal to the number excluding the number itself. So what?

[Mamyalynne]

It's often a nice surprise to discover something whilst watching a programme - a nice extra, entertainment and learning.

[tonyav]

I to learned about perfect numbers at school, then promptly forgot about them when I realized knowing about them wasn't gonna earn me a living.

[maggiebee]

Can't remember ever having heard of perfect numbers at school, but enjoy learning something new even at my advanced age. I also love magic 9s which I have taught my youngest grandchildren.

[Jackdaw33]

What exactly do you mean by magic 9s?

[elliemay1]

Do you mean that the digits of the multiples of 9 up to 90, add up to 9?

[ToraToraTora]

no, a perfect number is the sum of it's factors including 1.

[ToraToraTora]

sorry I think maggie is talking about casting out nines, the method of most of those "think of a number" type games.

[elliemay1]

^ I was referring to 'magic nines' TTT

[dannyk13]

A number is called a perfect number if by adding all the positive divisors of the number (except itself), the result is the number itself. 6 is the first perfect number. Its divisors (other than the number itself: 6) are 1, 2, and 3 and 1 + 2 + 3 equals 6. Other perfect numbers include 28, 496 and 8128.