3/14/15

Yes, we are math nerds and today was a pretty magical day. And this year, 03/14/15 is especially awesome. And while some use Pi Day as an excuse to eat pie (the food)/make puns, others use Pi Day to celebrate the irrational number 3.14(159265369...).

1. What is pi? The number π is a mathematical constant representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to it's diameter. It's an irrational number, meaning that it can't be represented by a common fraction. So its decimal representation never ends, and it never settles into a permanent repeating pattern. We're learning fractions in school. 

2. What's with the symbol? The symbol pi has only been used in a mathematical sense since the mid-18th century. π is the Greek symbol for the letter "p." It was taken from the Greek word for "perimeter."

3. How many digits do we know in pi? Pi was not calculated to more than seven digits – using geometric techniques – and to more than five in Indian mathematics in the fifth century. The first exact formula for π, based on infinite series, wasn't available until the Madhava-Leibniz series was discovered in Imdian mathematics in the 14th Century. Since then, computer scientists have discovered new approaches, and as of late 2013, had calculated pi up to more than a trillion digits.

4. Wait … Why do we bother finding that many digits? Because it's cool, and … math, that's why! 

5. Those digits are random, right? Is there any interesting in there? Yes! That is … if you define the fact that the first 144 digits of pi add up to 666 (which many scholars think is the "mark of the beast") as cool. And, 144 = (6+6) * (6+6)^d. That also could be considered cool There's also a website that lets you find your birthday within the first 200 million digits of pi.

6. Who discovered pi in the first place? No one's quite sure. The Great Pyramid of Giza (it was built back in 2500 BC) has a perimeter of 1760 cubits and a height of 280 cubits – a ratio that's approximately twice pi. This doesn't seem like an accident, but since we can't talk to ancient Egyptians, no one's quite sure. Archimedes, meanwhile, is largely considered to be the first to calculate an accurate estimation of pi (that happened in around 250 BC). An approximate ratio for pi also appears in the Bible in 1 Kings 7:23. Swiss mathematician and physicist Leonhard Euler, meanwhile, is credited for popularizing the use of the π symbol (unlike "fetch," he totally made it happen)?

7. Didn't Spock do something with pi? He did. In an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock commands an evil super computer to compute pi to the last digit (which, if you've read this story, you know is highly illogical …).

8. How many corners does a circle have? Funny you ask. You may say to yourself: a circle has no corners! But actually, it has an infinite number (because pi!).

9. Were there any celebrities born on Pi Day? Albert Einstein was born on Pi Day.

We were in therapy at 9:26:53am and watching Night at the Museum 3:The Secret of the Tomb at 9:26:53pm. In between we ha had a great day organnizing and meeting the Youngs at the YMCA for Tiki Pool night. Kendall and Marcus had a great time and we checked out our camp info. Kendall even enjoyed throwing a football with a female classmate from Collegium. She has a great arm!

Buenas noches!