When CBC’s nationally acclaimed radio program Ideas set out to examine “the greatest numbers of all time,” producers turned to Trinity Western University professor Dr. Glen Van Brummelen for insight into a number that has shaped mathematics, culture, religions, and daily life for centuries.
Dr. Van Brummelen, professor of Mathematical Sciences in TWU’s Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, joined host Nahlah Ayed for the June 23 episode, 12 is Sublime, a fascinating exploration of why the number 12 has held such enduring significance throughout human history.
His appearance on the national broadcast reflects TWU’s commitment to scholarship that reaches beyond the classroom and contributes meaningfully to public conversations. By sharing his expertise with audiences across Canada, Dr. Van Brummelen helped illuminate how mathematics influences everything from commerce and music to culture and faith.
A friendly number with a remarkable history
During the interview, Van Brummelen explained why mathematicians sometimes describe 12 as a “friendly number.”
“Well the number 12 is willing to work with you in all sorts of different ways,” he told Ayed, illustrating the concept with a simple example: a dozen chocolate eggs can be divided evenly among two, three, four, or six children. “If you have 11 eggs, you're in big trouble,” he said jokingly.
That divisibility is one reason the number has remained so useful throughout history. Dr. Van Brummelen pointed to examples that continue to shape modern life, including the 12 inches in a foot and the origins of historical measuring systems inherited from ancient Rome.
The episode also explored the mathematical distinction of 12 being one of only two numbers classified as “sublime,” a rare designation connected to the properties of perfect numbers and their divisors.
The intersection of mathematics, culture & faith
Asked about the historical significance of 12, Van Brummelen pointed to its origins in Judaism. He noted the symbolic importance of the number tracing back to the 12 tribes of Israel. “When the number 12 appeared, it was a sort of a symbol of wholeness or completion,” he explained. “Everyone was there. Everyone was included.” He went on to describe how that meaning continued into Christianity through the 12 apostles and that the significance of the number is relayed in other places in the Bible, such as in the Book of Revelation.
Finding mathematical beauty in the world around us
The conversation also ventured into a uniquely related area: music. Dr. Van Brummelen explained how Western music is built around a 12-note system and how the mathematical relationships within those 12 notes create the harmonies that listeners have enjoyed for centuries.
From Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos to today’s chart-topping songs, composers and musicians continue to draw on patterns that only work because of the unique properties of 12. When Ayed suggested this was yet another example of 12 being “sublime,” Van Brummelen laughed and agreed: “Well then, I mean all of this music is sublime, so yes. I’ll buy that.”
The discussion revealed a central theme of the episode—mathematics is far more than formulas on a page. Whether in music, measurement, faith, or everyday life, mathematical patterns help shape the way people understand and experience the world, and the number 12 plays a starring role in those patterns.
Sharing expertise on a national stage
Dr. Van Brummelen’s appearance on Ideas is a reflection of the expertise found within TWU’s faculty and the impact of scholarship beyond the classroom.
As scholars like Dr. Van Brummelen contribute to national conversations, they help bring academic insight to broader audiences while demonstrating the value of thoughtful research and teaching. TWU faculty members continue to enrich public understanding of complex topics and invite people to see the world through new and unexpected lenses.
Fascinating conversations such as these by followers of Christ expert in their fields also help to share and reveal the understanding that “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” Col. 1: 17 NIV.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students for life. Uniting faith and reason through Christian teaching and scholarship, TWU is a research institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in the humanities and sciences as well as in several professional schools. TWU has its main campus in Langley, B.C. and campus sites in Richmond, B.C. and Ottawa, Ont. Sharing expertise on a national stage
Learn more at twu.ca or follow @TrinityWestern on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. For media inquiries, please contact media@twu.ca.