Gerald Thurman takes us out of the Northeast corridor for a moment to the great southwest of America. This mathematically significant sign from Hachita, New Mexico is a thing of beauty. It embodies the wonderful spirit of the west pointing the way to a town called Rodeo.

This is the kind of simple, elegant math that inspired the creation of Road Sign Math. Simply wonderful!

This sign is found in Hachita, New Mexico on westbound Highway 9 at the intersection with Highway 146. The GPS coordinates for it are N31.91889 W108.32494. See sign on map!

As you cross over and through the San Juan mountains in New Mexico you are treated to many small villages. You feel almost as if time has gone backwards a bit, however the ever-present satelite TV dishes remind you that you are in fact in the 21st century.

The towns of Vadito, Penasco and Dixon however got together on their stretch of road to welcome drivers with some excellent math.

This is one of those elegant road signs that plainly puts itself out there. Similar to Genesis, I don’t think it’s possible to even see this sign without doing the math. Surely hundreds, or thousands, of people have commented in their cars about this sign. The math is

This sign is located on highway 75 in New Mexico as you enter it from highway 518 in the San Juan Mountains. The GPS coordinates for it are N36 10 37.7 W105 37 15.7. See sign on map!

Ed.: This is the fifth sign from New Mexico, which now has more mathematically significant road signs than any other state (Nebraska is in 2nd with four!). Put your state on the map by sending in a mathematically significant road sign! Remember, the first sign from a state is also given a First in State gold star!

Frank hadn’t gambled much. He’d never been to the Abiquiu Casino. He had spent much of the evening taking in the smoky atmosphere and enjoying a couple of drinks. He was doing his best to look the part of the reformed lounge lizard. At 21, Frank didn’t have the gruff to pull it off, and anybody that cared to look at him for more than a passing glance would have known it right away.

Frank had spent some time at different tables. He had what he would consider a lot of money, but to most people wouldn’t be. He tried his hand at poker but was ultimately a loser. Perhaps worse was the fact that he annoyed all the other players at the table with questions. A rough looking gambler at the end of the table had given Frank a look as if he was going to snuff out his existence and Frank decided to move on.

After a few more free spirits Frank decided to set himself down at the blackjack table.

The dealers name was Juan. He didn’t look a day older than Frank but in his crisp uniform Juan looked respectable and upstanding. Frank was curious about the black garters that Juan wore on his sleeves. He hadn’t seen that before but nobody else was looking so he figured it must be ok. There was only one other person at the table where Frank sat down. A grisly ranch-hand from Caliente was in for the evening to rest his tired hands and see if he could get lady luck on his side.

Frank found his luck to be moderate. He ran luke-warm, never too hot, never too cold, at Blackjack. It was enough to keep him in the game and not scratch him, but not enough to get any windfall.

Frank had put down a few more vodka gimlets. He wasn’t used to drinking this much and also wasn’t wise enough in years and experience to realize that was a bad idea at the Abiquiu. In his stupor he decided he would go out in a blaze of glory, or at least a small firecracker of excitement to cap the night. Frank put all his chips on the next hand.

Juan dealt the cards around. The ranch hand from Caliente wasn’t excited about his cards, it looked like he was going to pack it in very soon. Frank on the other hand had his luck run hot suddenly. He was dealt a Jack, 10. 20! Frank stared at his small stack of chips. It wasn’t a lot to anyone else, but it was to him. He would leave tonight better than twice as good on his wallet. Maybe he should come to the Abiquiu more often!

As Juan dealt the man from Caliente he ended up busting the poor ranch hand. Starting with a King and a 3. Juan gave the man a 2. The steer wrangler stared at Juan, looked over at Frank and muttered “Hit me.“ Juan dealt him a fatal 7. 22. The man gave Frank a nod and left the table. He had had enough for the night.

Frank on the other hand could hardly contain himself. He had a winner. He knew it. Juan turned his steely eyes to Frank and asked him what he wanted to do. Frank was so eager to have this hand over. The vodka had come up on him pretty quickly and as Frank reached his hand out to wave Juan off, somehow he ended up tapping on the table. Frank couldn’t believe his own actions. What is the matter with me he thought? Your sitting on twenty and you tap for a hit? Idiot!

Juan was a cool operator. He didn’t ask Frank to confirm. He didn’t even think about it. This was his opportunity to bust another stupid kid at the Abiquiu. Juan smirked, just a little, for the first time that evening. He reached into his sleeve to get a card, slid it across the table and flipped it over before Frank could even begin to object.

An Ace. How could it be an Ace. The chances were next to nothing. You don’t hit on 20. Frank stared as the Ace of Spades appeared next to his Jack, 10. Juan’s smirk disappeared in an instant as he did the math

Frank’s heart leapt back from his shoes into his chest. He knew this was his last hand. Too many vodka gimlets for this fresh shaven kid. He had looked into the abyss and made it out. Juan, the chiller, was no more. Frank would win this hand, and with it a nice steak dinner. Frank decided he would return to the Abiquiu again, but he would lay off the spirits and focus on the cards.

This gambling sign is located off of highway 68 on highway 74 westbound at GPS location N36 02 44.1 W106 03 43.2. See sign on map!

Road Sign Math celebrates Leonardo daVinci‘s birthday with a sign that the master himself would find invigorating. This sign is a prime example of how basic math isn’t always so basic. This sign also celebrates being a blue informational sign instead of the typical green roadway sign.

Having a five number sign that works out mathematically isn’t very easy. In fact, you have to wonder if it’s merely coincidence or if there is a message hidden in here. Readers of The DaVinci Code are familiar with Leonardo’s use of code, riddles and mathematics. Let me put my investigative hat on and see what message is contained here, if any.

This cryptic message starts with an episode of Star Trek: Original Series titled “Requiem for Methuselah“ which features an immortal man born in 3834 B.C. and who turns out to have been Leonardo among many other people. We find our first number in the birthdate of this immortal man born in the 34th year of 3800 B.C.

Now, what number would be paired with 34. Since 34 references a fictional character let’s look for another character. In the DC comics world Leonardo is featured as an ancestor of the famed Freemason Cagliostro. Where was this reference made? Secret Origins #27!

Other numbers are identified to us when we examine important years in Leonardo’s life. The master was born in 1452. Right away we can see where 14 comes from. The most famous painting of da Vinci’s is the Mona Lisa which he began painting in 1503. He finished it in 1505. This most famous painting took him 2 years to finish. We can see the message of this sign forming.

The two years of the Mona Lisa are captured in Leonardo’s birthdate and the fictional references to him.

This all comes together in

This wonderful sign is located on northbound I-25 just south of Las Vegas, NM. It is approximately at GPS coordinates N35 33 47.6 W105 13 24.1. See sign on map!

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. Similar to another largest city in it’s state, Omaha (see Welcome to Omaha), Albuquerque takes an opportunity to welcome visitors to it’s great town with math.

As visitors to Albuquerque arrive in the city from the north on I-25 they are welcomed with family friendly mathematics.

This wonderful sign has the most basic of math

Albuquerque is mindful not to leave visitors that are coming to the city from the other direction out. Travelers heading north on I-25 are greeted as well

Not to confuse anyone the math on this sign is the same as the other sign.

This pair of signs is found on I-25 both northbound and southbound around GPS location N35 08 30.5 W106 35 42.0. See sign on map!

New Mexico still has 19 functioning Pueblos. These Pueblos celebrate New Mexico’s long and colorful history with culture dating back to prehistory. In fact, the state flag of New Mexico contains the symbol from the Zia Pueblo.

This mileage sign outside of Pecos National Historical Park celebrates the park for the mathematically inclined with a square root as visitors get ready to visit the ruins of the Pecos Pueblo.

It’s not that Pueblo’s are square. Some are, but most are just rectangular. I have to think that the ones that are truly square were revered as the best. The math on this sign is

\sqrt {25} = 5

This math while being advanced I’m sure was straightforward even for the Pueblo people of the time. The sign complements their achievements in art and culture with science and math.

This sign is found just after you exit I-25 to visit the historic park, on highway 63 exactly 5 miles before you reach the city of Pecos and about 3.1 miles before the park itself. The GPS coordinates for this sign are approximately N35 30 10.3 W105 40 30.0. See sign on map!