Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day
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From WheretofindpediaPi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi) (in the mm/dd date notation: 3/14); since 3, 1 and 4 are the first three decimal digits of π. March 14 is also the birthday of Albert Einstein and the two events are sometimes celebrated together.
ObservationPi Approximation Day is observed on July 22, because of the Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes' first rough approximation of π as being 22/7. [Archimedes was able a few years later to calculate a much-better approximation of π.] However, this may be considered misleading, as all cited dates are "approximation days" (since π is an irrational number) and 22/7 is actually a closer approximation of π than 3.14 is. Typically, March 14 is more popular for countries using the month/day format and the 22nd of July is more popular for countries using the day/month format. 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 π is truncated to seven decimal places, it becomes 3.1415926, making Pi Second occur on March 14 at 1:59:26 p.m. [Sometimes March 14, in the year 1592 at 6:53:58 a.m. is remembered.] If a 24-hour clock is used, Pi Minute occurs just once yearly, on March 14 (3/14) at 1:59. Something interesting is that, in 2010, Daylight Saving Time begins one minute later: March 14, at 2:00 AM. CelebrationThere are a large variety of ways of celebrating Pi Day and most of them include eating pie and discussing the relevance of π.[1] 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.[2] The founder of Pi Day was Larry Shaw,[3] a now-retired physicist at the Exploratorium who still helps out with the celebrations. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology often mails its acceptance (and rejection) letters to be delivered to prospective students on Pi Day.[4] Some also celebrate alternative Pi Days and/or Pi Approximation Days in addition to the two listed above; these can fall on any of several dates:
HistoryOn Pi Day 2004, Daniel Tammet recited 22,514 decimal digits of π.[5] On 12 March 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution (HRES 224),[6] recognizing March 14, 2009 as National Pi Day.[7] References
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_day |
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