Fun With Numbers - Ice Cream for the Soul by Joy Koenig, MD - Personal Growth, Wellness, Healthy Lifestyle, Meditation, Inspiration

One, Two, Four, EIGHT....
CATEGORY

        Writing Exercise

DESCRIPTION

        Have fun with numbers.

INSTRUCTIONS

        Search your local book store and the internet for fun math and number games.

        Here are a few classic examples:

        A Magic Square consists of numbers distributed within the cells of a square, so that each row, column, and diagonal line sums to the same magic number. In the example, the magic sum is twelve. Make one using sixteen cells, or design a rectangle (2 x 4 or 5).

7	2	3
0	4	8
5	6	1

Fibonacci numbers originated in the year 1202. The original problem had to do with predicting how fast rabbits could breed in ideal circumstances. Rabbits are able to mate at the age of one month, so that at the end of its second month a female produces another pair of rabbits. If you pretend rabbits never die and pretend the female produces only one new pair (one male, one female) every month from the second month forward, how many pairs of rabbits will you have in one year?

Try these math-related problems:

Can you connect the dots in a 3x3 grid using 4 straight lines?
Can you figure out how to plant 7 azaleas so that they form 6 straight lines with 3 azaleas in each line? How about 10 plants in 5 lines with 4 in each?
Can you construct 9 triangles by drawing 3 straight lines through the capital letter "M"?

JOY'S JOURNEY

I learned a wonderful lesson using a similar toothpick game during a personal growth workshop. We were given a toothpick problem, as well as someone to provide neutral feedback. The assistant could only give one of two responses: a single hand clap when the move was correct, and silence when it wasn't. You could ask for feedback as often as you liked, or not at all. At first, I struggled on my own, not wanting to ask for help. As I heard more and more hand claps around the room, I decided to ask for feedback. I started testing various theories, only asking for feedback after I thought I had the answer -- but I couldn't figure it out. Finally, I decided to simply lift each toothpick in its turn, and ask for a neutral "yes" or "no". Once I was not afraid or ashamed to ask for feedback, I quickly found the answer.

Feedback in real life is often painful and harsh, making us afraid to admit we don't know how to do something. Sometimes the harshest critic is in our own head. I have found that the world is usually silent when we're off-course, and gives us a nod of some type when we are on-course (see INTRODUCTION). When we stop beating ourselves up for wrong answers, and learn how to look and listen for the world's hand claps, we become less afraid to try and fail. Suddenly, "try, try again" doesn't seem so daunting. Life becomes a lot more fun, when it hurts less to be off-course.

QUOTES

Torture numbers and they will confess to anything.
Gregg Easterbrook

Becoming number one is easier than remaining number one.
Bill Bradley

Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped off.
Paul Brodeur

Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.

This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.