Pi Day
Pi Day is observed every year on March 14 to commemorate the mathematical constant of Pi.
It is only a fun observance, and as such, businesses and schools are open as usual.
The Reason Behind Celebrating Pi Day On March 14
Pi Day falls on March 14, aligning with the American date format of 3/14. The significance lies in the fact that 3.14 represents the initial three digits of Pi.
If you are a lover of mathematics then you can take your celebration of Pi Day to the next level by celebrating at exactly 1:59 (a.m. or p.m.) and then your representation of Pi will be even more exact, happening at 3.14159.
Some math lovers also celebrate Pi Approximation Day on July 22, as 22/7 is the fraction that represents Pi.
The Definition of Pi
Pi is a mathematical constant that defines the ratio of the circumference of a circle in relation to its diameter.
The word Pi comes from the Greek word perimetros, which means circumference, and the Greek letter has been used to represent it since the 18th century.
Archimedes of Syracuse was the first one to calculate the value of Pi. He was the greatest mathematician of ancient times who determined the area of a circle by using the Pythagorean theorem.
Since then, Pi has been used throughout history by many different cultures.
It is now an essential part of calculations in numerous fields such as engineering, construction, and physics.
History of Pi Day
In 1988 physicist Larry Shaw held the first Pi Day celebration at the San Francisco Exploratorium, a science museum. On that day, people commemorated Pi by having circular parades and eating fruit pies.
March 14 became officially recognized as National Pi Day in the United States by the House of Representatives on March 12, 2009.
The San Francisco Exploratorium still hosts yearly celebrations on March 14, and they now include webcasts.
How to Celebrate Pi Day
Bake a Pi Pie:
- One of the yummiest ways to celebrate is by baking a pie. Meat or sweet, whether it's apple, cherry, or your favorite flavor, the pun is hard to resist!
Pi Memory challenge:
- Challenge yourself and your friends to a Pi memory contest. See who can recite the most digits accurately. You might even find a prize for the winner.
Visit a Science Museum:
- Learn more about Pi and other aspects of mathematics in the world around us by spending time at a science museum.
Pi-tastic Facts
- The exact area of a circumference can never be calculated because the exact value of Pi can never be calculated. This is because Pi is an irrational and transcendental number, which means it can go on to infinity.
- Computer scientist Emma Haruka Iwao holds the record for calculating Pi to 100 trillion digits.
- According to The Guinness Book of Records, The world record for reciting Pi to the highest decimal places is held by Rajveer Meena, who in 2005 took 10 hours to recite Pi to 70,000 decimal places.
- Piphilology - This is the practice of creating mnemonics to remember the digits of pi: One example you can learn right now to impress is the first words of the sentence "May I Have A Large Container Of Coffee Right Now" to represent 3.141592635.
- On 8 March 2023, a school in Arizona broke the record for the largest number of people to stand and make the shape of the pi symbol. 2,036 people were involved in the event which took place in Westwood High School.
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