Twelve
Introduction
"Twelve" is a number that holds significant importance in various fields such as mathematics, science, and culture. It is an integer that follows eleven and precedes thirteen. In the base ten system, twelve is represented as "12". The number twelve is considered a sublime number, due to the fact that it has a perfect number of divisors, and the sum of its divisors is also a perfect number.
Mathematics
In mathematics, twelve is a composite number, the smallest number with exactly six divisors, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. Twelve is also a Pascal number. It is the third in the four-element sequence of 5th row of the Pascal's triangle (1, 5, 10, 10, 5, 1). Furthermore, twelve is a Harshad number, which means it is divisible by the sum of its digits.
Number theory
In number theory, twelve is a superior highly composite number, a type of composite number with divisors being more than any other number scaled relative to the number itself. It is also a colossally abundant number, a number whose divisors form a sequence with more members than any lower number.
Geometry
In geometry, twelve is the number of edges of a cube, and it is the maximum number of lines that can be drawn through exactly four points in a plane (a complete quadrilateral). It is also the number of faces in a dodecahedron, one of the five Platonic solids.
Science
In science, twelve is the atomic number of magnesium in the periodic table. It is also the number of space and time in physics, being the dimensionality of spacetime in bosonic string theory.
Astronomy
In astronomy, Messier object M12 is a magnitude 8.0 globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. The New General Catalogue object NGC 12 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces.
Culture
The number twelve carries religious, mythological, and cultural significance, primarily its use as a counting system. It's a symbol of cosmic order. Twelve is strongly associated with the heavens - the 12 months, the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the 12 stations of the Moon and of the Sun.
Religion
In many religions, there are twelve gods and goddesses. In Christianity, there are twelve apostles of Jesus. In Islam, there are twelve Imams, legitimate successors of the prophet Muhammad. In the Jewish tradition, twelve is the age at which a girl has her bat mitzvah and becomes responsible for her actions.
Mythology
In Greek mythology, the twelve Olympian gods lived on Mount Olympus. In Norse mythology, Odin had twelve sons. In King Arthur's legend, he is said to subdue twelve rebel princes and to win twelve great battles against Saxon invaders.
Time
The number twelve is also highly symbolic in the measurement of time, with twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night, and twelve months in a year. The western zodiac has twelve signs, as does the Chinese zodiac.