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What Makes Odd Numbers Odd?

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I disgustingly hate odd numbers. I get called weird for this, but for some reason, my mind can not let me continue reading unless I pair up the amount of letters in a word. I can not swallow my food unless I chew the same amount of times on each side of my mouth. I can not eat candy unless I have 2 of each flavor. By this point, symmetry is my second nature and when presented with the monstrosity of an odd number, I am suddenly Superman at the beams of kryptonite.

So, what makes odd numbers odd? Everything. Their whole existence is to be odd. They refuse to play along with the rules of the game and don’t get into nice pairs. They are the rebels resisting division by two in order to disrupt evenness through remainders. They will immediately stand out in the crowd of mathematics. They are truly the definition of asymmetric.

Since they are odd, why do we even need them? If they cause so much chaos, why are they one of the most basic and important fundamentals of mathematics? No matter how much I despise them, I realize that they bring balance and diversity to the landscape of math we depend on. They bring their quirkiness to life’s adventures that make it more exciting. As disruptors of symmetry, their complexity is often used in art, which most times creates a more visually interesting and pleasing view.

Odd numbers are odd because they are freakishly mimics of how we live in society. They present us with real-life scenarios that we may encounter and will challenge our minds to come up with creative solutions. If you imagine a world where everything was even and not odd, life would be horrendously boring. It will be one huge mathematical party full of robot conversations with no unexpected plot twists or drama to fill up our curiosity as human beings. Odd numbers bring the spice to the fiesta!

So, in the end, it doesn’t matter if odd numbers are odd because so are even numbers. You would think some alien life would be in control of the world if you walked into a room where everyone is exactly the same. Now that is really odd.

Not even that, but since I get called weird for having such symmetry then truly, what is the difference between even and odd? Odd numbers and their inability to confine themselves to the standards of symmetry are truly inspiring.

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About the Contributor
Edith Felipe
Edith Felipe, Columnist/Editor
Edith Felipe is a junior at Msgr. McClancy and this is her second year contributing to the school newspaper. She hopes to encourage creativity throughout the school and that everyone let their inner artists out. In her free time, she enjoys practicing her guitar and hanging out with friends. She is also part of student council, the tyros drama club, and art club.  

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