Palindrome

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2025

Definition

• A palindrome reads the same when read forward or backward.
• There are word palindromes, numerical palindromes and musical palindromes.

Examples

• The earliest palindrome supposedly occurred in the Garden of Eden. MADAM I’M ADAM and the reply EVE
• Napoleon Bonaparte is the first Corsican to attend the French Military Academy. He rose to be an Emperor. He supposedly lamented : ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA .
• There were two early Canals (Suez and Panama) to shorten the sea routes. The degree of difficulty was not the same. It took meticulous planning to build the Panama Canal. It gave rise to the palindrome :
  A MAN, A PLAN, PANAMA

• There are palindromes in languages, music and art. The Pulitzer Prize winning book on Escher (Painter), Godel (Mathematician) and Bach (Composer) discusses threads that are common to Maths and Computer Science, Arts and Music. One such thread is a palindrome. For example, a musical composition (which is a palindrome) can be played from the front to back, and vice versa.
• There are numerical palindromes.

101

• It is a numerical palindrome. It reads the same forward and backward.
• Value of “One hundred and one” in the Decimal Number System.
• Value of 5 in the Binary number system.
• Introductory courses are usually named “101” e.g. CS 101 for an introductory course in Computer Science.

• In California, USA, there is a highway named 101. Several companies in the Silicon Valley along Highway 101.
• District 4 of Toastmasters International was divided into District 4 and District 101. Most clubs that are located near Highway 101 were assigned to District 101.

1001

• It is a numerical palindrome.
  It reads the same forward and backward.
• Value of “One thousand and one” in the Decimal number system
• Value of 9. in the Binary number system
• Read “1001 Nights”.
  Scheherezade outwitted a king who killed his wives after their first night together by telling him a different story every night for 1001 nights (and supposedly gave birth to some children).
• In early 2018, I started posting “Trivia”. Completed 1001+ posts in time for my birthday in August, 2018

Feedback

• U San Lin (“Maung Lu Pay”, M87, USA) wrote :
  Wonderful job. It’s best 1000 trivia I ever read. Thanks Sayar.
  Best Regards,
  San Lin

• Saya Dr Myo Khin (C70, Japan) wrote :
  Dear Ko Hla Min,
  Your endless selfless towards the RIT is highly appreciated and please do not stop this meritorious deed.
  May Lord Buddha bless and keep you and your beloved family. Sincerely and Best Regards,
  Your childhood friend
  Myo Khin

• Winston De Penha (SPHS63, Australia) wrote :
  I’ve read all your Trivia posts.
  Hope you remember me.
  I was your classmate.

• Ashin Pannagavesaka wrote :
  Parent #1: My son’s only four and he can already spell his name backwards.
  Parent #2: Oh? And what’s his name?
  Parent #1: Otto.