It's my birthday today and I am now 48 years old -- two years before the Golden Age.
I was born on November 11, 1960 (the year of the Rat, under the zodiac sign of Scorpio) in the historic province of Bataan, Philippines.
Although my mind is very active (like a young person) my body is getting weaker: my bones are aching and my mobility is being impaired :( [But I am still photogenic, he-he-he].
It's my fault... Because of my sedentary lifestyle. I really need to do more physical exercise.
For my 48th birthday, here's my wish (list):
1. Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Creatures.
2. A solution to the current global financial crisis.
3. That the Philippines will not be included anymore in the list of most hungriest countries in the world.
4. Happiness, prosperity and security for my family, relatives and love ones.
5. More success and fulfillment to all my colleagues and co-workers.
6. A successful schoolyear to all my students.
7. Less conflicts, more collaborations.
While searching the very handy wikipedia (www.wilipedia.org) I found out the significance of number 48:
Here are some excerpts (Source: www.wikipedia.org):
- 48 (forty-eight) is the natural number following 47 and preceding 49. It is one third of a gross or four dozens.
In mathematics
- Forty-eight is a double factorial of 6, a highly composite number. Like all other multiples of 6, it is a semiperfect number. 48 is the second 17-gonal number.
- 48 is the first number of the form (24.q) and is in abundance having an aliquot sum of 76.
- It is the lowest composite number to fall into the 41-aliquot tree having the 7 aliquot number sequence,(48, 76 , 64, 63, 41, 1, 0). 48 is highly abundant with an aliquot sum 158% higher than itself.
- 48 is the smallest number with exactly ten divisors.
- There are 11 solutions to the equation φ(x) = 48, namely 65, 104, 105, 112, 130, 140, 144, 156, 168, 180 and 210. This is more than any integer below 48, making 48 a highly totient number.
- Since the greatest prime factor of 482 + 1 = 2305 is 461, which is clearly more than 48 twice, 48 is a Størmer number.
- 48 is in base 10 a Harshad number. It has 24, 2, 12,and 4 as factors
In science
- The atomic number of cadmium
- The number of Ptolemaic constellations
In Astronomy
- Messier object M48, a magnitude 5.5 open cluster in the constellation Hydra
- The New General Catalogue object NGC 48, a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda
- The Saros number of the solar eclipse series which began on -1331 February 8 and ended on -15 April 9. The duration of Saros series 48 was 1316.2 years, and it contained 74 solar eclipses.
- The Saros number of the lunar eclipse series which began on -1246 July 11 and ended on 124 October 11. The duration of Saros series 48 was 1370.3 years, and it contained 77 lunar eclipses.
In religion
- The prophecies of 48 Jewish prophets and 7 prophetesses [1] were recorded in the Tanakh for posterity
- According to the Mishnah, Torah wisdom is acquired via 48 ways (Pirkei Avoth 6:6)
- Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, sat under a bo tree for 48 days attempting to figure life out. Buddhism was the result.
Cheers,
Raffy
11 November 2008
in Quezon City, Philippines
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