Math IS Real Life: Best Locker Combination EVER!

Did you ever have the locker dream?  You know, the one where you're late for class and can't remember your locker combination?  I had that dream for years!

Well, I can finally put that dream to bed, because I found the best locker combination EVER, built into Locker #256!  To begin with, 256 is an awesomely powerful number.  Broken down to its prime factors, 256 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 or, 2^8.  That's cool, right?  But wait, it gets even better.  The combination that was built into this particular locker is pretty darned special, as well.

Let's play a little mystery number game to see if you can figure it out.

• The first number- how many numbers are in the empty set { } ? It's also an excellent starting point when counting.
• The second number is the product of two primes.  One digit of this number is three times the other digit. These two digits are already in the locker number.
• And now, the best clue of all!!!  The last number in this awesome combination is the square root of 256!  

This makes me smile every time I think about it. I'm not going to actually write the combination, because I want you to figure it out (post your answer in the comments section).

As a numbers person, I'm constantly trying to make/find patterns in numbers to help me remember things, or to just have fun with them.  It's entertaining. I rarely use a grocery list (or I should say I usually forget to take it with me...), but I will count how many items I need.  I admit I've had some pretty strange looks as I peruse the aisles looking at my fingers, trying to remember item number 6.

And for some reason, I keep waking up at either 2:31 or 3:41, both multiples of 11.  That is often quite bothersome, because then I start thinking about other multiples of 11 and about how cool the patterns are. Those nights it takes forever to get back to sleep! 

I'm glad I no longer have that tiresome locker combination dream. I guess, if I thought about it long enough, I'd probably remember that combination, as well. Some things are just meant to stay with you.

OK, class dismissed.  Be sure to leave your answer to the locker problem in the comments.  No peeking!

Thanks to the hosts,  4mulaFun, The Teacher Studio, Teaching to Inspire in 5th, AND MissMathDork

"The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life."  William Morris