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Why does an even number feel 鈥渞ight鈥� but an odd one 鈥渨rong鈥� when, say, I鈥檓 setting my TV volume control? Am I alone in this?

Fleur Hughes

York, UK

You aren鈥檛 alone. I like the volume set to even numbers or multiples of five, and get really twitchy when these conditions aren鈥檛 met. I dislike prime numbers especially (I am still a bit funny about the fact that my wedding anniversary is on the 17th day of the month). I think this might be because I am not very good at maths and prefer numbers that are easily divisible.

Somewhere in my hindbrain is a creature that perceives these numbers as collections of small items that need to be put neatly into equal-sized groups.

Gerard Buzolic

Coolum Beach, Queensland, Australia

I feel the same. The reason may be to do with how an even number of anything is divisible into pairs, giving a feeling of balance. An odd number is just a collection of pairs with one left over.

鈥淚 always set my TV volume to a prime number. I also do the same for setting the cruise control when driving鈥�

Lou Everatt-Fletcher

Oxford, UK

I feel exactly the same way. My husband and 10-year-old daughter clearly don鈥檛, as they delight in putting the TV volume up to an odd number in order to enjoy my discomfort. They are terrible people!

Geraldine Fenton

Leeds, UK

I used to set the volume to even numbers. My son always used numbers ending in zero or five, so I tried that too. I then decided I was being overly conformist, so, a few years ago, I moved to using prime numbers. They now look perfectly normal to me. My conclusion is that it is just habit.

Peter Dearden

Parkes, New South Wales, Australia

I always set my TV volume to a prime number 鈥� I am convinced that, because there are only ever two factors involved, the signal and sound are clearer. I do the same for setting the cruise control when driving.

Sam Edge

Ringwood, Hampshire, UK

I can鈥檛 say I agree that even numbers feel more 鈥渞ight鈥� than odd. I tend to set volume controls, screen brightnesses, etc to prime numbers. My TV gets reset to 13 every morning, which somehow seems to be the optimal level for background listening. My office monitors are set to 97 per cent screen brightness.

@Mickytwoshoes65, via Twitter

I am obviously a contrarian. I prefer odd numbers, especially prime ones. Even numbers don鈥檛 do it for me.

@JezebelImpala, via Twitter

I am a strictly odd numbers girl, preferably ones divisible by three. The only even numbers I like are multiples of three. The very best numbers are nine, 21 and 42. Sometimes, I will go wild with a 57 or 72, but not often. I realise that this is barmy, but that is just how I roll.

@pjjam83, via Twitter

I thought I was strange, but it is good to know that there are others out there. I am also annoyed if it isn鈥檛 a multiple of five.

@SraVazFranco, via Twitter

For me, it feels like the 鈥渙dd鈥� numbers are on a precipice and I just can鈥檛 let them hang there.

@Rebecca89625636, via Twitter

It is because even is balanced. But 25 is OK if it is on a 0-100 scale because that is a quarter, which is also correct.

Adele Burnett, via Facebook

It has never occurred to me to think about the number. I just choose the appropriate volume to be able to hear it without being too loud. I wonder if I will think about the number now!

Mike Wright, via email

The number 28 always seems perfect to me.

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