Mathematical Election

One of my favourite mathematical operations is modulo, which delivers the remainder of a division. E.g. 2736 modulo 26 is 8. Nice, but what is the use of it?

In school, it was always difficult to find a class speaker. We solved the problem by making up a ridiculously big number modulo the number of class members. The remainder position on the class list was the new class speaker. The trick was to make up a ridiculously big number that:

• was big enough to dissemble one's intention not to be class speaker
• was told fluently enough to make an absolutely random impression
• did not deliver a remainder that was congruent with one's position on the class list.

I never had to take over the position of class speaker. I love modulo.