A year of nines

Okay, it’s not a year ending in “3,” but surely a year ending in “9” deserves a just-in-time discussion of an earlier year seemingly obsessed with nines. As an innumerate person, I’m sure mathematicians have an explanation for this:

[from the Urbana Union [Urbana, Ohio] September 2, 1863, page 1.]

The Year of Nines.

The present year, 1863, presents some curious combinations in regard to the figure 9.

If you add the first two figures together, thus 1×8—they equal 9.

If you add the last two, 6×3—they equal 9.

If you set the first two figures 18, under 63, and add them together, the result is 81, the figures of which added together, 8×1—9.

If you subtract the first two from 63, the remainder is 45, the figures of which if added together, 4×5—9.

If you divide the 63 by the 18, the quotient is 3, with 9 remainder.

If you multiply all the figures together, 1x8x6x3, the result is 144, the figures of which 1x4x4—9.

If you add all the figures of the year together the sum is 18, and the sum, 1×8—9.

If you divide 1863 by 3 the quotient is 621, and the 6x2x1—9.

If you divide 1863 by 9, the quotient is 207, and 2x0x7—9.

If you divide 1863 by 23, the quotient is 81, and 8×1—9.

If you divide 1863 by 68, the quotient is 27, and 2×7—9.

There are other similar results. The year 1818 will provide a large majority of similar combinations.