It’s time for a fond look back at great 101 controversy. The great 101 controversy was launched in the July 2001 issue of mini-AIR. A celebrated mathematics professor of our acquaintance asked for help with the following dilemma:
A woman called the math department earlier this year. Her son is in first grade. The first grade teacher said her son was counting wrong. How is 101 pronounced — “one hundred one” or “one hundred and one”? The teacher told the woman to call any mathematician to find out the proper way to say it. I don’t know the answer
The following month, we published some of the more and less salient answers sent in by mini-AIR readers.