Pi Day

Pi Day History

Pi Day celebrates the mathematical constant π (pi), 3.141592653... Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. The circumference of a circle is defined as its arc length while the diameter is defined as the longest chord of the circle. Pi is a special number due to its infinite and pattern-less nature. This means that the digits after the decimal point never repeat themselves in a specific pattern.

Pi Day was established in 1988 by Physicist Larry Shaw. Shaw was an employee at the San Francisco Exploratorium where the first Pi Day was held. It took place on March 14th (3/14), given that the first digits of Pi are 3.14. On March 12, 2009, the U.S House of Representatives recognized March 14 as National Pi Day.

Facts about Pi Day

• In 2015, at 9:26:53 (AM and PM), all of the first ten digits of Pi (3.141592653) were present in the date and time.
• Pi is an irrational number, meaning it cannot be expressed properly as a fraction.
• Albert Einstein, widely referred to as the father of modern physics, was born on March 14, 1879. Therefore, Pi Day also recognizes Einstein's birthday.
• According to the Guinness World Records, Ranveer Meena from India holds the record for memorizing the most decimal places of Pi. On March 21, 2015, Meena wore a blindfold and recalled 70,000 decimal places of Pi over a period of 10 hours.
• Pi is not just a collection of random digits, pi is a journey; an experience; unless you try to see the natural poetry that exists in pi, you will find it very difficult to learn - Dr. Antranig Basman, Mathematician and Software Developer

In the News and Trending in the US for Pi Day

Top things to do in the US for Pi Day

• Memorize as many digits of Pi as you can (remember, the World Record Holder was able to memorize 70,000 decimal places of pi).
• Eat a pie to celebrate Pi day and earn bonus points if your can calculate Pi for your pie's circumference! Here are some twists on traditional pies that you can try:
  1) Avocado and cream cheese pie
  2) Cheeseburger and pickle pie made from ground beef, cheese, and chopped dill pickles
  3) Mac and Cheese Pie topped with bacon
  4) Hot dog pie covered with a layer of cheese
  5) Twinkie pie topped with whipped cream
• Practice your geometry and algebra equations that contain the constant Pi. Here are some useful formulas to help you:
  Circumference of a circle = 2 πr
  Area of a Circle = π r^2
  Volume of a Cylinder = π r^2h
  where r=radius and h=height
• Go for a 3.14km walk to celebrate Pi Day.
• Watch movies about mathematics:
  1) Good Will Hunting (1997)
  2) A Beautiful Mind (2001)
  3) The Number 23 (2007)
  4) Rain Man (1988)
  5) The Theory of Everything (2014)