Language
What is A palindrome?
A palindrome is a word, phrase, or number that reads the same forwards and backwards, like 'racecar,' 'level,' or 'madam.' The symmetry makes them a favorite puzzle in language, mathematics, and computer science.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a palindrome.
Key things to understand
- 1It reads identically left-to-right and right-to-left.
- 2Examples: 'racecar,' 'noon,' and the number 12321.
- 3Whole sentences can be palindromes if you ignore spaces and punctuation.
- 4They appear in DNA, where certain sequences read the same on both strands.
- 5Detecting them is a classic beginner programming exercise.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an example of a palindrome?
- 'Racecar' and 'level' are word palindromes; 'A man, a plan, a canal: Panama' is a famous sentence one.
- Are there number palindromes?
- Yes — numbers like 121 or 12321 read the same both ways, and they're studied in recreational mathematics.
- Do palindromes appear in DNA?
- Yes — some DNA sequences read the same on both strands, and these palindromic sites are important for enzymes that cut DNA.