Boards Quote by Abraham Verghese
“Pray tell us, what's your favorite number?"... "Shiva jumped up to the board, uninvited, and wrote 10,213,223"... "And pray, why would this number interest us?" "It is the only number that describes itself when you read it, 'One zero, two ones, three twos, two threes'.”
About This Quote
Source Film: The Last Lecture, 2015
The quote highlights a self-descriptive number that encodes its own digit count, illustrating a paradoxical self-reference.
In simple terms: A number that describes its own digits.
Key Takeaway
Explore self-referential patterns.
Themes
mathematics
paradoxes
self-reference
Mood
curious
intrigued
Type
educational
playful
When to use this quote
- puzzle solving
- teaching concepts
- coding challenges
- cryptography
- logic games
Key Concepts
Number theory
autological numbers
Questions to Reflect On
- How does self-reference affect understanding?
- What other examples exist?
A Different Perspective
Self-referential numbers can be confusing without clear explanation.
![“I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or a survey and Legal Services Corporation board when President [Jimmy ]Carter appointed me and trying to get lawyers for poor people. I have worked in these…” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6c7/hillary-clinton-51_action_i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-th_9078.jpg)
