Category: Math

Blog Post #85: Orchestral Feeling

Dear Readers,

Three of my dear colleagues at the beautiful Musica Mundi School (where I work as the Mathematics teacher) are Peter (the House Father), Annabel (the House Mother) and Jacques Rouvier, one of the great Music instructors.

The ‘Orchestral Feeling’ title of this article was inspired partly by the wonderful way in which the entire adult team at the school cares so well for all the students. It is also a tribute to this heartening, energizing belief of Jacques and many others: If you do what you do with real, true feeling from your mind, heart and soul, then the voice and emotion behind all that you wish to express can impact and move others as if you were speaking with the power of a full orchestra.

Continue reading “Blog Post #85: Orchestral Feeling”

Blog Post #84: Day 21412

Dear Readers,

I am grateful for each moment of every day and, regarding the future, I know that it is always in God’s hands,

but tonight I do have some fun mathematical surprises that I hope to be sharing with more friends tomorrow…One’s life begins, of course, long before the date of birth, but for simplicity, if I count my date of birth (Wednesday 13 June 1962) as my day number 1, then tomorrow (Monday 25 January 2021) will be day number 21412 for me.

I find 21412 to be a rather beautiful palindrome containing the number 141 which has been special on many occasions throughout my life, and since 21 x 4=84 I am all the more happy to be writing about this now in Blog Post #84 !

Continue reading “Blog Post #84: Day 21412”

Blog Post #83: Magical Duets!

Dear Readers,

My house number, 11, is a palindrome; so is 101 or 11 x 11 =121, but what about 11 x 101 x 11? The result 12221 is clearly palindromic, and it’s intended to let you know a very nice date for your diary: exactly three weeks from today, on 12.2.21, you’ll be able to enjoy on YouTube (at 19:30 Central European Time via http://www.musicamundischool.org and clicking on the banner there) a feast of fabulous, musical solo performances featuring many young talents of Musica Mundi School.

I have the pleasure of getting to teach Mathematics to every student who studies the subject at the school, and right now I have some delightful surprises starring Julija and Hoi Yuet.

Continue reading “Blog Post #83: Magical Duets!”

Blog Post #82: Terrific Talents!

Dear Readers,

With special permission, of course, in today’s blog post I am delighted to be featuring a high five terrific young talents! Most of them are students at Musica Mundi School, and are therefore outstanding young musicians. All of them are also highly capable in Mathematics.

Clever Cats

The students are so fond of our clever cats that they let them be pictured first! ♥♥♥

Continue reading “Blog Post #82: Terrific Talents!”

Blog Post #81: Top of the Class, Nice Niklas!!

Dear Readers,

It is with great pleasure that I thank everyone who participated in the ‘Good Lives Global Prize Competition’ (see Blog Post #80).

Andy H. from Scotland was the very first person to reply with all the mathematical puzzles completely correct. Andy loves challenge puzzles so much that he simply wanted to enjoy them without being given a prize. So, in recognition of his excellent attitude, we have a bonus puzzle in Andy’s honour, down below.

Before then, I want to congratulate Quintijn van Heek (an A-Level Maths student of mine) and Krissy Teng (another great student at the beautiful Musica Mundi School in Waterloo, Belgium) for also solving all the mathematical puzzles. Well done, Quintijn and Krissy!

Continue reading “Blog Post #81: Top of the Class, Nice Niklas!!”

Blog Post #80: Good Lives Global Prize Competition!

Dear Readers,

Welcome to this ‘Good Lives Global Prize Competition’ with free entry for everyone of every country! The more puzzles you solve, the better for sure, but you may possibly still receive some prize for submitting some good answers even if they’re not all perfect. So, please don’t be shy! Just go ahead and enjoy the puzzles (detailed below), and don’t hesitate to send in your answers by email to pmotwani141@gmail.com, preferably by Sunday 17 January; the sooner, the better for you!

Continue reading “Blog Post #80: Good Lives Global Prize Competition!”

Blog Post #79: For Elizabeta!

Dear Readers,

It’s quite late now in Belgium, but I still really wanted to write this wee article tonight as a nice, extra boost for Elizabeta, a truly outstanding Maths student (at Musica Mundi School in Waterloo, Belgium) who always produces terrific work!

Let’s have a fun word puzzle, right now!

Leave out just the very last letter of I DREAM CHESS, and use all of the other ten letters to make the name of a famous Greek mathematician from long ago…

Continue reading “Blog Post #79: For Elizabeta!”

Blog Post #78: Super-Smart Young Ladies!

Dear Readers,

Every morning, I wake up with happiness and gratitude for God’s countless gifts,

including my job as the Mathematics teacher for wonderful students at Musica Mundi School, founded in Waterloo, Belgium, by Hagit Hassid-Kerbel and her husband, Leonid Kerbel.

Continue reading “Blog Post #78: Super-Smart Young Ladies!”

Blog Post #77: Happy New Year 2021 Fun Brainteaser!

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year, 2021! Earlier today, I gave a brand-new brainteaser to my smart and lovely wife, Jenny. She said that it’s quite tricky, but she still succeeded in solving it within a few minutes! So, if you also like puzzles, then I warmly encourage you to enjoy tackling the fun brainteaser. In case the puzzle is not your ‘cup of tea’, I still most sincerely wish you a very happy New Year filled with love, joy and peace.

Continue reading “Blog Post #77: Happy New Year 2021 Fun Brainteaser!”

Blog Post #76: Magical Joy & Peace

Dear Readers,

Within my family of three, Michael (my son), Jenny (my wife) and Paul (that’s me!) try to be always thankful for everything. We like to think of M, J & P as representing Magical Joy & Peace.  The answer to the question “How long will it last?” depends on us properly recognising the everlasting source of true love, joy and peace. Continue reading “Blog Post #76: Magical Joy & Peace”