Pi wasn’t known as Pi but as “that funny circumference-over-the-diameter number that goes on forever and ever and ever, and I’ll stop calculating it as soon as I find the pattern.” Fortunately, Welsh mathematician William Jones shortened it to just ∏ in 1705. Pi was the first letter of the Greek words for periphery and perimeter.
The concept of pi is important to mathematics because of its relationship to the circle; it is a constant representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Since pi is found in so many different equations in math, physics and other sciences, it is considered one of the most important mathematical constants.
Pi is an irrational transcendental number, meaning that its decimal places will continue to infinity. It cannot be represented using decimal notation or a rational fraction. As such, 3.14 is not pi, but simply an easy notation for the first 3 places. Even the common use of 22/7 for pi is not exact. To date, pi has been calculated out to more than 1 trillion decimal places, and mathematicians continue to calculate further digits.
The founder of Pi Day
Pi Day was started at the Exploratorium, a San Francisco-based science museum known for its interactive exhibits, by staff physicist Larry Shaw in 1988.
Larry Shaw, the organizer of the first Pi Day celebration at the Exploratorium in San Francisco
Pi Day is celebrated on March 14, or in the month/day date format as 3/14; since 3, 1 and 4 are the three most significant digits of pi.
It’s been said the only real Pi Day was March 14, 1592. (3.14 1592) and of course even that was only accurate to 7 digits.
Birthday of Albert Einstein
March 14 is not only easy to remember, it has the added bonus of being the birthday of Albert Einstein, born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany.
Pi Approximation Day
Pi Approximation Day is held on July 22, or in the more common day/month date format as 22/7, which is an approximate value of pi.
Pi Day is observed on March 14, because of the Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes' first rough approximation of pi as being 3.14. (A few years later, Archimedes was able to calculate a much better approximation of pi.) However, 22/7 is actually a closer approximation of pi than 3.14 is. Thus, a more "accurate" Pi Day could be found in the more common calendar, 22/7, or July 22.
Pi day celebration
Sometimes the so-called Pi Minute is also commemorated. This one occurs twice on March 14 at 1:59 a.m., and 1:59 p.m. If pi is truncated to seven decimal places, it becomes 3.1415926, making the Pi Second occur on March 14 at 1:59:26 a.m. (or 1:59:26 p.m.). If a 24-hour clock is used, the Pi Second occurs just once yearly, on March 14 (3/14) at 1:59:26 in the morning.
There is a large variety of ways of celebrating Pi Day and most of them include eating pie and discussing the relevance of pi. Pi Day is often celebrated with pies, given that pi and pie are homophones. The first Pi Day celebration was held at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 1988, with staff and public marching around one of its circular spaces, then consuming fruit pies. The museum has since added pizza to its Pi Day menu.
Purpose of celebrating pi day
It was in 2009 that Pi Day became a national event, with official recognition from the House of Representatives through Resolution 224. The hope is that official recognition of Pi Day will help to increase interest in math and science among the American public. Schools are urged to use the day to teach their students about the importance of pi and other mathematical concepts and showing students that learning about math and science doesn't have to be boring.In 2012, the celebration expanded to the Internet, with both a webcast and a Second Life-based event.
pi-day 2015
Hardcore Pi Day celebrants are planning special events for 9:26:53 a.m. on March 14, 2015, as the numerical date 3/14/15 9:26:53 represents the first 7 digits of pi, 3.141592653.
pi day jokes
visit for more information:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/14/tech/innovation/pi-day-math-celebrations/
http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Pi-Day
visit for more information:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/14/tech/innovation/pi-day-math-celebrations/
http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Pi-Day
Reference
http://everydaysaholiday.org/pi-day/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day
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GAYANI BALASURIYA
2010/2011
