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Pi Day

Reply 20

insparato

15

Pi day is my birthday :smile:

. Its the 22nd July because its 22/7 which is the diophantine approximation of Pi.

Reply 21

ukebert

13

Happy Pi day everyone :smile:

Reply 22

SsEe

13

Mush

True true. But ... nah... :P

If the point of making pi = 6.28 is to get rid of that random constant, 2. Then surely it wouldn't make sense to consider it as a ratio to the diameter instead of the radius, to get rid of that constant! Even then, if pi was 6.28. Then it would be "the ratio of a circle's circumference to it's radius...... divided by 2...." not multiplied.

2pi=6.28.... is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius.

I never really thought about that. I find it annoying that pi/2 isn't half a circle etc but never realised just how often that pesky 2 creeps in.

Reply 23

Jake22

18

Mush

Ach, *******s! The definition of

\pi

is the ratio of a circles circumference to it's diameter!

If

\pi = 6.28...

then you'd have to say "Pi is the ratio of a circle's curcumference to it's diamter.... *COUGH* ... multiplied by two for no real reason(said quickly and in hushed tones!).

It just wouldn't make sense!

I think you are missing the point. It is the relationship to the radius, not the diameter which is more important. So just say ...the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius... of course, adding in the factor two.

I don't think that anyone wants to change pi now (even the author of that article) but it is worth stating that

2\pi

is much more fundamental.

Like h/...2pi :p:

We had a competition to see how many digits of pi the third form (Year 7s) could memorise. The winner got up to 124 and the second place was someone with 105. :eek:

They had a week to learn it.
I help with the Junior Maths Club and they (along with people from years 8-13, which was funny) made pi jewellery - beaded bracelets with 3 red beads, 1 white bead (the decimal point), 4 blue beads, 1 green bead etc...
There was also a competition for the best pi mnemonic. :smile:

Reply 26

bon

2

stordoff

e Day, surely?

Edit: e=2.7, :banghead:

Still don't unstand why 22nd July is Pi Day

the approximation - pi approx = 22/7

Reply 27

generalebriety

16

Did the BBC article annoy anyone else?

Every second sentence was factually wrong.

Reply 28

Ethelred the Unready

Pi is exactly three ;yes;

Reply 29

Ethelred the Unready

generalebriety

Did the BBC article annoy anyone else?

Every second sentence was factually wrong.

This?

Reply 30

PsychicPotato

I've memorised pi to 80 decimal places, thus further reinforcing the Asian stereotype.

Reply 31

ukebert

13

I can only do it to 3.14159265359 :frown:

Ethelred the Unready

That's the one.

generalebriety

Did the BBC article annoy anyone else?

I particularly liked:

"While there are many infinitely long numbers in maths, pi is the only one in which an infinitely simple idea - the circle - unfolds into an infinitely complex value. This paradox drives many people to distraction."

"In fact, it's literally impossible to know what pi is, because its digits rattle off into infinity."

""However, if you ask a typical maths nerd, you'll get an earful of pi - 3.14159265 and so on."

Reply 34

qgujxj39

17

e stems from a very simple idea, too. And of course we know what pi is and how to calculate it. Crap article.

I still want an i day :p:

Reply 35

generalebriety

16

Lusus Naturae

I particularly liked:

"While there are many infinitely long numbers in maths, pi is the only one in which an infinitely simple idea - the circle - unfolds into an infinitely complex value. This paradox drives many people to distraction."

"In fact, it's literally impossible to know what pi is, because its digits rattle off into infinity."

""However, if you ask a typical maths nerd, you'll get an earful of pi - 3.14159265 and so on."

Of the people I've spoken to, mathematicians and otherwise, this phrase seems to be a favourite for the "bull****" category. :p:

Reply 36

Zhen Lin

12

ukebert

I can only do it to 3.14159265359 :frown:

Well, you can improve on that easily since 3.14159265358979 has a nice pattern to it. The next four aren't so nice - I forget them after a while... in fact, I just learnt them on Tuesday but I've forgotten already.

Reply 37

ukebert

13

tommmmmmmmmm

e stems from a very simple idea, too. And of course we know what pi is and how to calculate it. Crap article.

That was the sentence that made me go :wtf?:

Zhen Lin

Well, you can improve on that easily since 3.14159265358979 has a nice pattern to it. The next four aren't so nice - I forget them after a while... in fact, I just learnt them on Tuesday but I've forgotten already.