By Aziz Inan
Marilyn Monroe, born as Norma Jeane Mortenson, on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California, and died on August 4, 1962, in Los Angeles, was an iconic 1950s and early 1960s Hollywood actress, model, and ultimate “blonde bombshell” sex symbol whose legacy spans fashion, pop art, and film.
Despite her immense fame and popularity, Monroe suffered from severe, long-term mental health struggles, including depression, anxiety, paranoia, and chronic insomnia, which were exacerbated by dependency on alcohol and barbiturates. Tragically, she died from a drug overdose at age 36.
June 1 this year marked Monroe’s 100th birthday and for this reason, I got interested about the dates and numbers related to her life. Based on my investigation, I put together the following fun mathematical curiosities and tidbits in her honor:
1. Monroe was born in 1926 and died in 1962. Interestingly, the rightmost two digits of these two years, namely 26 and 62, are reverses of each other.
2. If Monroe was still alive, June 1, 2026, would have marked the first day of the 101st year of her life. Coincidentally, 101 is the 26th prime number.
3. 2026 also marks the 64th anniversary of Monroe’s death. Interestingly, if 2026 is split as 20 and 26, their sum equals 46, 46 being the reverse of 64.
4. Further, Monroe died 64 days after her 36th birthday.
5. Also, the number of days between Monroe’s birthdate (6/1) and the day she died (8/4) equals 63, 63 being the reverse of 36, the age she died.
6. Moreover, each non-leap year (e.g., 1926) has 151 days before Monroe’s birthday and coincidentally, 151 is the 36th prime number.
7. Additionally, Monroe died in 1962 on 8/4 at age 36 and interestingly, 8/4 simply expressed as 84 minus its reverse, 48, equals 36.
8. Monroe died on the 216th day of 1962 (8/4/1962), at age 36. Interestingly, 36 = 6 x 6 and 216 = 6 x 6 x 6.
9. If numbers 1 through 26 are assigned to letters A through Z, the sum of the letter values of Monroe’s first birth name, Norma, equals 61 and 61 interpreted as 6/1 is her birthdate, June 1.
10. Furthermore, the letter values of Marilyn Monroe add up to 172 and interestingly, the 172nd prime number, 1021, times 6 yields 6126, representing Monroe’s birthdate and her 100th birthday, 6/1/26.
11. Finally, the letter values of the initials of Marilyn Monroe, namely MM, add up to 26, symbolizing the rightmost two digits of her birth year, 1926.
Happy 100th birthday, Marilyn Monroe!
Aziz Inan is a professor of electrical engineering teaching at the Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering at University of Portland, and he can be reached at ainan@up.edu.