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33 (thirty-three) is the natural number following 32 and preceding 34.

In mathematics [edit]

33 is the largest positive integer that cannot be expressed as a sum of different triangular numbers. It is also the smallest odd repdigit that is not a prime number.

33 is the eighth distinct semiprime comprising the prime factors (3 • 11). Its aliquot sum is 15; itself a discrete semiprime (3 • 5) in the following Aliquot sequence 33,15,9,4,3,1,0. (Note 33 is the 8th composite number to descend into the prime number 3, the others outside of this sequence being 30,26,16,12) Since 33 is a semiprime with both its prime factors being Gaussian primes, 33 is a Blum integer.

The sum of the first four positive factorials is 33. Adding up the sums of divisors of 1 through 6 yields 33. 33 is the smallest integer such that it and the next two integers all have the same number of divisors.

It is also the first member of the first cluster of three semiprimes (33,34,35); the next such cluster is 85,86,87.

Since the greatest prime factor of 33² + 1 = 1090 is 109, which is obviously more than 33 twice, 33 is a Størmer number.

In science [edit]

• The atomic number of arsenic
• A normal human spine has 33 vertebrae when the bones that form the coccyx are counted individually
• 33 is, according to the Newton scale, the temperature at which water boils.

Astronomy [edit]

• Messier object M33, a magnitude 7.0 galaxy in the constellation Triangulum, also known as the Triangulum Galaxy.
• The New General Catalogue object NGC 33, a double star in the constellation Pisces
• The Saros number of the solar eclipse series which began on -1982 August 2 and ended on -485 January 17. The duration of Saros series 33 was 1496.5 years, and it contained 84 solar eclipses.
• The Saros number of the lunar eclipse series which began on -1662 May 22 and ended on -364 July 10. The duration of Saros series 33 was 1298.1 years, and it contained 73 lunar eclipses.

In religion [edit]

• The divine name Elohim appears 33 times in the story of creation in the opening chapters of Genesis. ^[1]
• Lag Ba'omer is a minor Jewish holiday which falls on the 33rd day of the Omer
• Jesus's age when he was crucified in 33 A.D., according to many Christian traditions, though not verified historically.^[2]
• According to Al-Ghazali the dwellers of Heaven will exist eternally in a state of being age 33.^[3]
• Jesus performed 33 recorded miracles
• Islamic prayer beads are generally arranged in sets of 33, corresponding to the widespread use of this number in dhikr rituals. Such beads may number thirty-three in total or three distinct sets of thirty-three for a total of ninety-nine, corresponding to the names of God.
• 33 is not only a numerical representation of “the Star of David,” but also the numerical equivalent of AMEN: 1+13+5+14=33.
• Pope John Paul I, the 33-day pope. One of the shortest reigns in papal history, and it resulted in the most recent 3-pope year.
• the highest degree in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

In sports [edit]

The number of innings played in the longest baseball game in history (a 1981 minor league game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox in Pawtucket, Rhode Island).

The jersey number 33 has been retired by several North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats:

• In Major League Baseball:
  • The Baltimore Orioles, for Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.
  • The Houston Astros, for Mike Scott.
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates, for Hall of Famer Honus Wagner.
  • The Colorado Rockies have yet to retire any numbers. However, they have not issued #33 since Larry Walker was traded from the team in 2004.
• In the NFL:
  • The Kansas City Chiefs, for Stone Johnson, who died in 1963 from a neck fracture during a preseason game before he could play his first official game for the team.
  • The Washington Redskins, for Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh.
• In the NBA:
  • The Boston Celtics, for Hall of Famer Larry Bird.
  • The Chicago Bulls, for Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.
  • The Denver Nuggets, for Hall of Famer David Thompson.
  • The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, both for Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
  • The Miami Heat, for Alonzo Mourning.
  • The New York Knicks, for Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.
  • The Phoenix Suns, for Alvan Adams. When Grant Hill played for the Suns, he wore the number with Adams' blessing.
• In the NHL:
  • The Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens, both for Hall of Famer Patrick Roy.
• The jersey number 33 has also been retired by the men's basketball program of the University of North Carolina for Antawn Jamison.

In motorsport, 33 is:

• The number of a Sprint Cup car owned by Circle Sport usually driven by Austin Dillon or Landon Cassill.
• Race number of Motorcycle racer Marco Melandri.
• On most occasions, the traditional number of racers in the Indianapolis 500.

The Big 33 Football Classic is an annual postseason high school football all-star game that features top players from Pennsylvania. In recent years, the opposition has been an all-star team from Ohio. The number 33 represents the original number of players on each squad (now 34).

FIBA 33 is the original name of the basketball variant now known as 3x3. It is a formalized version of half-court three-on-three basketball currently being heavily promoted by the sport's international governing body, FIBA. Under the original rules of FIBA 33, the game ended by rule once either team scored at least 33 points, with scoring following traditional basketball rules. 3x3 uses a substantially different scoring system.

In other fields [edit]

Thirty-three is:

• In reference to gramophone records, 33 refers to a type of record by its revolution speed of 33⅓ revolutions per minute. 33s are also known as long playing records, or LPs. See: 78 and 45
• A significant number in modern numerology, one of the master numbers along with 11 and 22
• A song by The Smashing Pumpkins on their album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Also a song by Coheed and Cambria on their album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade (the songs are not related)
• The title of the first episode of the 2004 Battlestar Galactica television series in which the Cylons came every 33 minutes
• The jersey number of Tom Cruise's character in the 1983 film All The Right Moves
• The 33 Strategies of War is a book by Robert Greene
• In French, Italian, Romanian, Spanish and Portuguese, the word a patient is usually asked to say when a doctor is listening to his or her lungs with a stethoscope (Trente-Trois, Trentatrè, Treizeci şi trei, Treinta y Tres and Trinta e Três)
• +33 is the code for international direct-dial phone calls to France
• The number printed on all Rolling Rock beer labels
• '33' is a Vietnamese beer that American soldiers became familiar with during the war.
• '33' (three-three) is a Nigerian produced brand of beer.
• Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer used to be advertised as "Blended 33 to 1".
• The namesake of the private club, Club 33, located in Disneyland's New Orleans Square.
• The number of workers trapped, and also the number of survivors of the 2010 Copiapó mining accident.
• One of the symbols of Ku Klux Klan. (K is the 11th letter of the alphabet, 3 times 11 is 33, KKK)
• The 33 Orientales were a group of Uruguay's national Independence Heroes that liberate the country in 1825 from the Brazilian Empire, the name is due for the leaders all 33 Degree Masons (The Thirty-Three Orientals), one of Uruguay's national states and its capital city is named " Treinta y Tres" after them.
• A religious image of the Virgin Mary from the 18th century is known in Uruguay as "Virgen de los Treinta y Tres" (Virgin of the Thirty-Three) consecrated by Pope John Paul II in his visit to Uruguay in 1988.
• 2008 is the first time in 33 years that the United States has sent a satellite to explore and orbit Mercury (January 15, 2008)
• Progressive Metal band Meshuggah released their album "Catch 33" in the year 2005.
• In 2008, musician Teddy Geiger gives clues to fans about his new single, "march" which dropped March 3, or "33". In late May he announced 33 brand new songs that his fans could choose from to create their own album, called TG33.
• The number 33 was discovered to lead to the essential meaning of life (the Bible) in Dan Brown's 2009 novel "The Lost Symbol".
• This is also the alleged age that Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedonia) died at, the age of 33

References [edit]

• Prime Curios! 33 from the Prime Pages