So What Are the Odds?

Did you miss the day this week, or were you one of those in the know on 05/07/09, also called "Odd Day"? Apparently, three consecutive odd numbers make up the date only six times in a century. The last time the six Odd Days got on their way was back in 1905, on 01/03/05, just thirteen months after the Wright brothers ushered in the aeronautical age at Kitty Hawk. The Wright Flyer they piloted that day was the first heavier-than-air, powered aircraft to make a sustained, controlled flight with a pilot aboard. Gives you a feel for just how infrequent these "odd days" really are, doesn't it?
Of course, if you're into mathematical quirks, you'll want to be aware of Square Root Day as well. On such a day, the numbers representing a date's month and day are the square roots of the final digits for the year. A little more prolific than Odd Days, Square Root Days come around nine times in a century. Google either one of these occurrences and you're bound to bump into Ron Gordon, a Redwood City, California, high-school teacher who is deeply into such numerical patterns and is responsible for oddday.net .
While I realize this might be all just a big yawn to you, I also know there are some of you out there who are already beginning to plan big celebrations for the next numerical-pattern day that rolls around. Heck, why wait? Get all your math-loving buddies together some evening, serve some light refreshments, and just go crazy figuring out all the Odd and Square Root Days we can look forward to in the 21st century. Add an edge to the party by challenging your guests to predict what current science-fiction imaginings will have made their way to reality on the brave new horizon.