Fun with Numbers: Kaprekar's Operation

It is a simple operation, but Kaprekar discovered it led to a surprising result. Let's try it out, starting with the number 2005, the digits of last year. The maximum number we can make with these digits is 5200, and the minimum is 0025 or 25 (if one or more of the digits is zero, embed these in the left hand side of the minimum number). The subtractions are:

5200 - 0025 = 5175
7551 - 1557 = 5994
9954 - 4599 = 5355
5553 - 3555 = 1998
9981 - 1899 = 8082
8820 - 0288 = 8532
8532 - 2358 = 6174
7641 - 1467 = 6174

Let's try again starting with a different number, say 1789.


I found this to be a fascinating article, mostly because numbers are a foreign language to me, but there is a music...a rhythm to them that I find compelling.  Like other folks find Magick.  That I cannot seem to "play" their music doesn't stop me from appreciating their artistry.