Pi Day 2023

Today is Pi Day. The day was founded in San Francisco in 1988 at the Exploratorium by its resident physicist, Larry Shaw. Pi itself has been with us much longer. Its first written approximations appear in Babylon and Egypt as early as 1660 BCE. Most of us are more familiar with the polygonal determination for pi that was first derived by the Greek mathematician, Archimedes, around 250 BCE. You can explore several subsequent calculations and mathematical applications here. Granted, I don't understand most of them but their stories are rather interesting.

Archimedes                 Giuseppe Nogari (1699-1766)

Today, you have an opportunity to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate morning and night. Yes, that's three official celebrations:

1. Pi Day - today is March 14 or 3.14;

2. Pi Minute - official designation is March 14 at 1:59 PM or 3.14159; and;

3. Pi Second - official designation is March 14 at 1:59:26 PM or 3.1415926

If you're a night owl you could get away with minute and second celebrations in the A.M.

One could say it's an opportunity for "constant" enjoyment.

If you can't celebrate today or happen to live in a world using the day/month/year calendar all is not lost. You can celebrate Pi Approximation Day on 22 July or 22/7 = 3.142857.

Geek or not, may your Pi Day be filled with transcendence.



Sources

Text:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince-of-pi.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi

Pi Day 2022

 

Today is Pi Day. The day was founded in San Francisco in 1988 at the Exploratorium by its resident physicist, Larry Shaw. Pi itself has been with us much longer. Its first written approximations appear in Babylon and Egypt as early as 1660 BCE. Most of us are more familiar with the polygonal determination for pi that was first derived by the Greek mathematician, Archimedes, around 250 BCE. You can explore several subsequent calculations and mathematical applications here. Granted, I don't understand most of them but their stories are rather interesting.

Archimedes      Giuseppe Nogari (1699-1766)

Today, you have an opportunity to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate morning and night. Yes, that's three official celebrations:

1. Pi Day - today is March 14 or 3.14;

2. Pi Minute - official designation is March 14 at 1:59 PM or 3.14159; and;

3. Pi Second - official designation is March 14 at 1:59:26 PM or 3.1415926

If you're a night owl you could get away with minute and second celebrations in the A.M.

One could say it's an opportunity for "constant" enjoyment.

If you can't celebrate today or happen to live in a world using the day/month/year calendar all is not lost. You can celebrate Pi Approximation Day on 22 July or 22/7 = 3.142857.

Geek or not, may your Pi Day be filled with transcendence.

Source:

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince-of-pi.jpg

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi

It's Pi Day 2018!

Today, you have an opportunity to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate morning and night. Yes, that's three official celebrations:

1. Pi Day - today is March 14 or 3.14;

2. Pi Minute - official designation is March 14 at 1:59 PM or 3.14159; and,

3. Pi Second - official designation is March 14 at 1:59:26 PM or 3.1415926

If you're a night owl you could get away with minute and second celebrations in the A.M.

One could say it's an opportunity for "constant" enjoyment.

Put more pi in your life by visiting the Pi Day Page  at San Francisco's Exploratorium. The museum's resident physicist, Larry Shaw, founded the celebration in 1988. 

Pi Day founder, Larry Shaw, in 2007

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince-of-pi.jpg

Benoit Mandelbrot's Fractal Dimension

Some months ago, OTR noted the passing of Benoit Mandelbrot, the father of fractals. Mandelbrot's geometry has given us a new way of viewing and measuring the complex natural world around us. Thinking "fractal" has also led to some surprising and diverse applications in our everyday lives. National Public Broadcasting's NOVA series has rebroadcast a fascinating 2008 program on the man and his legacy entitled, Hunting the Hidden Dimension.

Though the subject itself may look too complex and esoteric for evening entertainment, don't be misled. It's a fast 52 minutes of biography, science, art, and mathematics with broad appeal. Here's your link. Grab some popcorn, settle back, and enjoy this amazing exploration of the world around us.

Celebrate Pi

Today, you have an opportunity to celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. Yes, that's three celebrations:

1. Pi Day - today is March 14 or 3.14;

2. Pi Minute - official designation is March 14 at 1:59 PM or 3.14159; and,

3. Pi Second - official designation is March 14 at 1:59:26 PM or 3.1415926

One could say it's an opportunity for constant enjoyment.

Put more pi in your life by going to this Wikipedia page. Be sure to check out the external links at the bottom.