As I write this, the new year, 2025, has already come to parts of the world. It arrives here, where we’re on Chicago time, in about four and a half hours. This new year is the first perfect-square year since 1936, and there won’t be another one until 2116.

Since 45 = (9)(5) = (3^2)(5), and 2025 is the square of that, the prime number factorization of the new year is (3^4)(5^2).

Happy New Year to all!