International Day of the Number π (14/03)

On March 14, the world celebrates one of the most unusual holidays — International Pi Day.

The Day was first celebrated in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium, and this unofficial holiday was invented a year earlier by San Francisco physicist Larry Shaw, who noted that in the American date recording system (month/number) day March 14 — 3/14 — coincides with the first bits of the number π = 3.14...

We encounter this unusual number already in the lower grades of school, when we begin to study the circle and circle. The number π — is a mathematical constant expressing the ratio of the length of a circle to the length of its diameter. In digital terms, π begins as 3.141592... and has infinite mathematical duration.

Everyday computing uses simplified number spelling, leaving only two decimal places, — 3.14. Looking at this sign, it immediately becomes obvious why today is the Day of the Number «Pi».

According to experts, this number was discovered by Babylonian magicians. It was used in the construction of the famous Tower of Babel. However, insufficiently accurate calculation of the «Pi» value led to the collapse of the entire project. It is possible that this mathematical constant was the basis for the construction of the legendary Temple of King Solomon.



Scientists and mathematics lovers love this holiday very much, celebrating it with a variety of physical, mathematical and culinary (!) events. Cooking here comes in very handy — usually bakes large round cakes, and the whole team sits around a «magic» circle (usually with «Pi» drawn in the center), treating themselves to and discussing the relativity of this unusual number.



• Infographics – poster «March 14 — International Day π»

610