Wonder of the Day #1786
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_1.jpg "Is Seven Really a Lucky Number? (1)")
MATH — Numbers
Have You Ever Wondered...
- Is seven really a lucky number?
- Why do some people think the number seven is lucky?
- Is seven a lucky number in all cultures?
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Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Nicholas from Merrick, NY. Nicholas Wonders, “Why is seven considered a lucky number?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Nicholas!
Quick! Think of a number between one and 10. Now let's see if we can guess which number you thought of. Was it seven? We're willing to bet that many of you did indeed think of the number seven, and not just because of the topic of this Wonder of the Day.
Researchers have found that, when asked to think of a number between one and 10, a significant number of people will think of the number seven. Similar results occur when a large group of people are asked what their favorite number is. The number seven is usually the overwhelming favorite. Why is that?
In many cultures around the world, seven is considered a lucky number. This probably explains the affinity many people feel for the number seven. Some scientists and mathematicians also believe there are some interesting properties of the number itself that also make it alluring.
Whether the number seven is really lucky or not is a matter of opinion. Some people believe it is, but this belief may simply stem from the positive things often associated with the number. Like most beliefs associated with the concept of luck, superstition plays a large role in perpetuating the belief.
The number seven enjoys a long history of positive associations across many different cultures. In fact, if you start looking for reasons why seven is so popular throughout history across various cultures, you'll find that the number seems to appear everywhere.
There are seven days in a week. How many colors are there in a rainbow? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet — that's right…seven!
There are seven continents and there were seven wonders of the ancient world. How many deadly sins are there? You guessed it: seven! Some researchers have found that human memory works best when remembering up to — but not more than — seven items.
There is also a powerful connection between the number seven and the religions of the world. Biblical scholars point out that the number seven is quite significant in the Bible. In the creation story, God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. Scholars have found that the number seven often represents perfection or completeness in the Bible.
In Judaism, there are seven heavens. The Koran, Islam's holy book, also speaks of seven heavens, and Muslims making the pilgrimage to Mecca walk around the Kaaba seven times. In Chinese culture, seven represents Yin and Yang combined with the Five Elements: water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. This combination represents the concept of harmony in Confucianism.
Mathematically, the number seven also has a couple of features that make it appealing to many people. First, it's an odd number. Even numbers can be easily divided by two, so odd numbers seem more unique to some people.
Seven is also a prime number, which means it can only be divided by itself and one. Since it's the largest prime number between one and 10, some people see it as more interesting for that reason.
Wonder What's Next?
Be sure to read tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day quickly before it vanishes!
Try It Out
What's your lucky number? Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member:
- What's your lucky number? Do you believe seven is lucky and 13 is unlucky? What about other people around the world? Jump online to check out this fun infographic: Lucky & Unlucky Numbers Around the World. Why do you think some cultures feel the way they do about certain numbers?
- Do you have a pair of dice at home? If you're not sure, you might want to check some of your board games. You're sure to find a pair of dice in an old game you have on the shelf. Sit down with your pair of dice and start rolling them. Write down the scores you get from each roll. If possible, roll the dice 100 times and record the results. When you're finished, make a chart showing how many times out of 100 each possible score (from two to 12) was rolled. Based upon your results, which number/score seems to be the luckiest?
- Can you make up your own lucky number? Sure you can! Just choose a number — any number! It could be 4, 27, 83, or even 119. Then make a list of at least five reasons why you think that number is lucky. The reasons don't have to make sense. You can make up whatever reasons you want. After all, it's your lucky number! Share your new lucky number and your reasons with a friend or family member. Encourage them to come up with their own lucky number and list of reasons, too!
Wonder Sources
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2601281/Why-lucky-7-really-magic-number.html
- https://www.reference.com/world-view/number-seven-lucky-2bb0d15cde5dd66d#
- https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/lucky-number7.htm
- http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/469565/The-magnificient-7-The-meaning-and-history-behind-the-world-s-favourite-number
- http://www.science20.com/the_conversation/7_is_a_lucky_number_but_why-167597
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