CHANUKAH MATH

One can quickly add a consecutive series of numbers using a simple formula
1. Determine the average value of the numbers by adding the first and last number in the
sequence together and then divide by 2.
2. Determine the actual number of consecutive numbers (integers)
3. Multiply the answer from step one times the answer from step 2

Simple example: sum of 4,5,6,7,8

1. Add 4 plus 8 (12) and divide by 2 = 6
2. Total number of integers = 5
3. 5 X 6 = 30

Example: sum of all integers from 1 to 100

1. Add 1 plus 100 (101) and divide by 2 = 50.5
2. Total number of integers = 100
3. 50.5 X 100 = 5050

One now can determine the total number of candles (or wicks) to be used during the eight days
of Chanukah:
Step 1: Add the first and last number of the sequence and divide by 2 ______
Step 2: Total number of integers (days in this example) ______
Step 3: Multiply answer from Step 1 by answer to Step 2

PROBLEM: If you count the number of candles in a Chanukah box of candles the number is
44. Please explain why?

ADDITIONAL MATH IDEAS

1. Rokei’ach says the following:
Source word “OHR” appears in the Torah 22
Word “M’oros” (plural) appears 3 times (3 X 2) 6
Word “NER” appears 8
Total equals the number of Chanukah lights (as per above)

2. Also, the first time the word “OHR” appears in the Torah (1:4), it says “Ki Tov”. The letter
“Tes” usually appears with 3 crowns (tagim). However, in this place in has 4 crowns (tagim)

4 X 9 = number of flames on Chanukah

3. The only place in the Mishneh that “Ner Chanukah” is mentioned, is Baba Kama perek 6,
mishneh 6. Mnemonic (memory device) is 6,6 6 X 6 = number of flames on Chanukah

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 CHANUKAH MATH
CHANUKAH ALEF-BAIS
Numerical value of first eight letters equals 36,
number of lights for the 8 nights of Chanukah ‫ח‬,‫ז‬,‫ו‬,‫ה‬,‫ד‬,‫ג‬,‫ב‬,‫א‬
Nine tefachim is the preferred height of the
menorah lights ‫ט‬

‫יו"ד כשר למעלה מעשרים נר סוכה עירוב פסול‬

10 tefachim is Kosher (allowed); above from 20 ‫יכל"מ נסע"פ‬
amos for lights, sukkah, and eruv are Pasul

‫צריך קדושה ראוי שמש תוסיף‬

‫צקרש"ת‬
For the need of proper holiness add a Shamesh

Mathtoids:

8 is the largest cube in the Fibonacci sequence

Cube is the result of a number times itself times itself (example: 2 X 2 X 2 = 8)
Fibonacci sequence defined by the recurrence of numbers where each number is the sum of
the two preceding numbers. (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987 . . . )

3 2
1 1
8

A tiling with squares whose sides are successive Fibonacci numbers in length
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