# Think of a number one through four and click here **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672 "2002-08-26T19:45:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/1 "2002-08-26T19:45:22Z")
Your number is 3. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/2 "2002-08-26T19:51:06Z")
Sorry, it was one. ---
**Author:** ![peasea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc79bd/32.png) [@peasea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peasea)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/3 "2002-08-26T19:53:02Z")
I was thinking of 2. Are you simply assigning me a number, then? How dictatorial. I don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/4 "2002-08-26T19:56:07Z")
2.867, but you were close. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/5 "2002-08-26T19:59:43Z")
What? You doubt me? It says right here in my book of kids’ magic that 95% percent of people choose the number three. Everybody chooses 3 because: 1 is the first which makes it way too obvious 2 is the exact middle which is also too obvious 4 is the last which also feels obvious That you leaves you with 3. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/6 "2002-08-26T20:01:09Z")
“2” isn’t the exact middle. 2.5 is. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/7 "2002-08-26T20:01:31Z")
How is 2 the exact middle of 4 numbers? Wouldn’t that be 2.5? ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/8 "2002-08-26T20:01:32Z")
Mine was 3. (Really!) Now guess whose post will get into the Scylla’s Psychic Advisor testimonial page? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/9 "2002-08-26T20:02:09Z")
you got mine right. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/10 "2002-08-26T20:06:10Z")
You were close. Mine was 3.14. Good trick, though. Keep practicing. Have you gotten to the trick with the detachable thumb? ---
**Author:** ![Palve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Palve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palve)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/11 "2002-08-26T20:07:42Z")
Mine was 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510… Close. You were less than .2 off. ---
**Author:** ![GopherGod72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/12 "2002-08-26T20:07:42Z")
Holy shit you’re right. Must I now worship at your feet? ---
**Author:** ![evolutionbaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9bcb4/32.png) [@evolutionbaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evolutionbaby)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/13 "2002-08-26T20:10:01Z")
mine was 1. hmmmm. three seemed too obvious to me, not 1. guess your theory doesn’t work well with dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/14 "2002-08-26T20:11:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danalan \* > \*\*How is 2 the exact middle of 4 numbers? Wouldn’t that be 2.5? \*\* Hmmm. Let’s test your hypothesis: If 2.5 was the middle, than 2.5 + 2.5 should equal 4. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/15 "2002-08-26T20:45:36Z")
_I thought of number one and then of number two. I’m a’feared three and four would reference boogers & goo._ ---
**Author:** ![Nortia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Nortia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nortia)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/16 "2002-08-26T20:56:29Z")
You got mine right oo. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/17 "2002-08-26T21:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scylla \* > \*\*Hmmm. Let’s test your hypothesis: > > If 2.5 was the middle, than 2.5 + 2.5 should equal 4. \*\* Heh. If you don’t assign 0 as the lowest number of the range (you picked 1), half is not the middle. Does your head hurt yet? ---
**Author:** ![Disciple\_of\_Alf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Disciple\_of\_Alf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disciple_of_Alf)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/18 "2002-08-26T21:20:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scylla \* > \*\* > > Hmmm. Let’s test your hypothesis: > > If 2.5 was the middle, than 2.5 + 2.5 should equal 4. \*\* Middle           |           |          / 1    2     3     4 Two would be the middle of four, but not 1 through 4. And I chose two. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/19 "2002-08-26T21:35:35Z")
yup, i did choose 3 (though there was this strong urge to choose pi…mmmmmm…pi). i try a similar one on friends… and it is right quite often… ok, think of an integer between 1 and 5. and an integer between 5 and 12. then scroll down… . . . . . . . a majority of the people i have polled answer : 4 and 7. that is not to say that everybody thinks of 4 and 7, but there seems to be a psychological tendency to choose these numbers. The logic is not too clear to me, though. I’m sure psychoanalysts and the like might have some plausible theories to offer us. ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672/20 "2002-08-26T21:45:28Z")
I picked 4 for Scylla’s thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-of-a-number-one-through-four-and-click-here/125672.md?page=2)