Circles of Prime Numbers

What  possible connection could there be between  prime numbers and the circular shape? Well, I'm not talking about any remote connections (to my mind) that might exist in the realm of Geometry or even advanced mathematics. I'm actually referring to any commonly found 'liaisons' between the two. On the face of it, it seems there exists none. However, of late, a mysterious relationship between the twain has come to haunt me in the most unexpected sphere of my life - the kitchen!


It seems rather weird and warranting an explanation of sorts, but whenever I've made rotis, paranthas or puris in the recent past, eight times out of ten, they've turned out to be in the series of prime numbers - 13 rotis, 17 paranthas, 23 puris and so on. Now, I don't have anything against this rather unusual choice of the wheat flour that chances to land under my rolling pin. But the fact is that I'm more of an 'even number person'. I find it immensely comforting whenever anything requiring numbers ends in series of even numbers for me. For instance, buying half a dozen eggs or bananas or toffees, and getting a nice number like 12 or 20 when it comes to making puris or paranthas! If at all I am to tolerate the infrequent odd numbers, I prefer them to end in fives like 15, 25, 35 etc. And if I can afford to round off a displeasing odd number to make it end in zero, even better! 


Being a movie addict has only worsened the situation. Movies like 'Friday the 13th'  including its numerous sequels and  'The number 23' only fuels one's superstitions. The latter of these movies associates the number 23 with the Devil himself! So, of late whenever I've kneaded the dough and started rolling it out, a little devil sneaks up behind my ear and starts bugging me to count out the circles as I roll them. Squashing the little bugger, I impatiently wait till the rotis or paranthas are done and then count them. In the case of the puris, I start counting as soon as I'm  done rolling them out. This totally unnecessary and tiresome habit of counting out the circles of my labor is a sad example of how being meticulous can at times get the better of one! Or wait, I have a sneaking suspicion that it's something I inherited from my paternal  chromosomes - will have to check on that one!


Anyway, the woe is that I've become trapped in these circles of prime numbers, that are truthfully, of my own making. And I wonder when I can roll myself out! 

Comments

  1. Toe Knee20 May, 2012 22:30

    Looks like you got yourselves trapped in a vicious prime circle :)

    ReplyDelete

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