3.14 Happy Pi Day!

Happy Pi Day!

Today, March 14, or 3.14, is celebrated as Pi Day by math lovers across the country.  March 14 is also the birthday of inventor Albert Einstein.  The first known major Pi Day celebration was held at the Exploratorium in San Francisco in 1988.  

Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The diameter of a circle is the distance from edge to edge, measuring straight through the center.  For all circles of any size, Pi will always be the same. Pi is used to calculate the area of a circle, the volume of a sphere, and in many other basic math and scientific formulas.  Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. Pi is an irrational and transcendental number, which means that Pi will continue without repetition or pattern infinitely.  

The Exploratorium and  piday.org have some great educational activity suggestions for teachers, including incorporating games, crafts and baking activities into a pi-themed lesson plan.  My Math Topics readers are a fun way to work on vocabulary and reading with your students while bringing more math activities into your classroom.  Enjoy some delicious learning!