San Francisco Exploratorium Pi Progression 2015

I spent Pi Day 2015 at the Exploratorium, which is pretty much the place to celebrate. The Exploratorium is always awesome, but there’s something special about seeing all these people turn out for the occasion. The line to get in was ridiculous (I’m used to just walking inside) but it was far less tedious thanks to the Pi Progression. Each person was given a yardstick with a number; then put in the order of pi’s never-ending digits. It’s impossible to have a full progression – there aren’t enough people on Earth – but these folks made a valiant effort. I wanted take part as well, but they were out of yardsticks by the time I got there. At least I got to record it all. Guess I’ll have to wait for next year…

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Happy Pi Day 2015!

Hey folks. It’s that time of year again! To celebrate one of the greatest mathematical constants in existence, I took this photo and spent the afternoon at San Francisco’s Exploratorium. I wasn’t the only one either…Special note: today was also 3/14/15, which is the most accurate calendar listing of pi digits you’ll ever see. For another 100 years, anyway!

How’d you get your pi on this weekend?

Mile Of Pi

Numberphile turns one of the most famous mathematical constants in existence into something tangible: a million digits of pi printed on a mile-long spool of paper! Check it out.

A Slice of Pizza Science!

It’s Okay To Be Smart explains how pizza is not only delicious, but educational as well!

Happy Pi Day!

So, did anyone else spend part of the day reading up on π and how crazy awesome it is?

*Crickets chirp*

…Heh, yeah. When I learned about π in grade school, I never really appreciated it; I used to believe in that strict English VS Math dichotomy, and definitely enjoyed the former more. But now, it’s actually quite fascinating. It’s an endlessly repeating pattern at the crux of so many analyses and scientific endeavors. I wonder where we’d be if the truly dedicated mathematicians of yesteryear hadn’t sat down and figured this stuff out the hard way. I used to think formulas were hard to understand. Just imagine someone having to calculate π without calculus. Archimedes must have been tearing out his hair trying to make it work! Yet here we are thousands of years’ worth of technology and insight later, and we still don’t know everything about this ever-present phenomenon. But we’ve certainly reaped its benefits; our understanding of physics, engineering, and the Universe itself is owed in part to this little symbol.

Thank you, π.

Pi Prog Rock

Hey, folks. Happy Pi Day! Numberphile gives everyone a new way to rock out to one of the geekiest non-holidays in existence.