Why odd numbers are better

The asymmetry is cruel to our pattern-making minds. And by being just one over the hundred it suggests that no matter how bad things get, they can always get worse. You don't need to have read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to realise that the blandness of 42 makes it the perfect comedy answer to his existential question.

Adams said 42 was "the sort of number that you could without any fear introduce to your parents. If he had chosen 41 or 43, the gag falls flat. They are both odd and prime numbers, and they feel elusive. It's not funny to say that the meaning of life is mysterious. It's funny to say that it is dull. We are taught to take numbers at face value, as markers signifyingamount and position. Yet we respond to them emotionallyand psychologically based on arithmetical characteristics.

Our brains are always subconsciously doing maths, and our responses influence how we see the world and the decisions we make in it. The odd number effect appears in art and photography as well, where it is well known that a group of three is more pleasing to the eye than a group of two, and that generally groups of items look better when there an odd number of things there. Quotes Guest articles Analysis Books Help. More Kindle book s: And the big paperback book. Look inside. Please help and share:.

More Kindle book s:. Home Top Menu Quick Links. A seller bundles items in threes rather than twos. These sell well. Discussion If you ask people about the number they like best, you may well find that they choose seven, three or five. Follow me on Medium to stay up-to-date on the latest UX tips and tricks. This is entry 3. Take a look at the previous entry on easy forms here. Follow me on Dribbble , LinkedIn or check out my website. UX Planet is a one-stop resource for everything related to….

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Nick Groeneveld Follow. Psychology 9 is a magical number. Should I use odd numbers myself? UX Planet Follow. Written by Nick Groeneveld Follow. More From Medium. Automating infrastructure design.