Politicians get Golden Number Bonus.

Singapore political appointees have been rewarded with the new National Bonus which would be 1.618 months salary. (Read news report here)

1.618 is a Golden Number!

In mathematics, the 2 greatest ‘irrational’ numbers are   

    

(Pi) and 

(Phi.)

From our early school days we learned that Pi =3.142,

but lesser is learnt about Phi or that Phi = 1.618.

or 1.618 is also known as the Golden Ratio.

It is believed that this ratio is the perfect balance that human eyes can perceive.

I will not go into the mathematical background as I am hopeless at maths beyond my calculator, but I do know about it from a visual aspect.

There are many structures and buildings that are built to this ratio, i.e. the length against the height of a building will result in a 1.618 ratio, for example, the United Nations building in New York. Another is the Taj Mahal.

The ratio of the low rise to the high rise is 1.618

It has also been calculated that the features of your face is perfect if it falls in the 1.618 ratio. Actors known to have this facial ratio include Brad Pitt, Claudia Schiffer and Angelina Jolie.

The Marquardt Mask is based on the Phi 1.618 ratio.
If your face fits the mask, you are a natural beauty.

Leornado Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, made more famous recently by Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, is also based on this ratio. You remember the Vitruvian man? The sketch of the naked four arms four legged man within a circle inside a square?

This ratio seems to be the perfect symmetry and most pleasing to the unconscious human eye.

Being a mathematicians favourite number, is it any wonder why the statisticians in the government came up with this bonus number?

I’ll bet the next ministerial bonus would be 3.142.

Here are some more examples of  the occurrence of the 1.618 golden ratio.