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Pythagoras said marriage is symbolized by the number 5. Why was this?(there's a lot of history in math!)
I will guess.The number 5 is the smallest unit of perfection as it forms the basis for the larger numbers of perfections such as 100, 1000, 100,000, etc. As a Greek Pythagoras would have known that these significant numbers would not be divisible by any other meaningful number smaller than 5 (the number "1" notwithstanding). The relationship to marriage is that marriage provides the smallest unit of relationship within each community. As a small but significant institution, marriage would provide the "bedrock" or larger society. Society could in a sense be considered as a collection of "marriages" and the families they provide.
Was it because the typically or ideal Greek family was comprised of two parents and three children (five in total)?
5 is the sum of 2 (the dyad… 1st female number) and 3 (the triad… 1st male number).source: http://www.mathgym.com.au/history/pythagoras/pythnum.htmCheers,Waly
And we were supposed to know that off the top of our heads??? Here I was thinking it was something more evident….I guess I never knew that there were guy numbers and girl numbers. ;D
And we were supposed to know that off the top of our heads??? Here I was thinking it was something more evident....I guess I never knew that there were guy numbers and girl numbers. ;D
I sure didn't; a quick google search (actually a couple to get the right parameters...) sorted it out though. As far as guy and girl #s... it's the ancient Greeks, a pretty sexist lot.Cool question none-the-less.Wally
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