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Happy Pi Day

This is the founder of Pi Day, Larry Shaw.

Yes, it's Pi Day which is observed on 3/14 in honor of π being 3.14blahblahblah. Here's what I know of π—nothing really. A couple of years ago Daughter No. 1 set out to memorize as many digits of the thing as she could, and at one point she could recite more than 200. The Guinness World Record for memorizing π digits is 67,890, which looks like a joke, but it was verified when Lu Chao of China recited them in 24 hours and 4 minutes.

Today also happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday. I'm not sure how many digits of π Albert memorized in his day, or maybe he didn't bother to memorize any, being so occupied with charming the western world and being a star. When Albert was a boy, he didn't do well in school except for math in which he excelled.

Here's what I know of math—nothing really. I took a basic algebra class in high school and just didn't get it. I kept asking my teacher how I would use that subject in my adult life since I thought I'd probably end up being an English teacher or a writer or something to do with words, and he could never give me a suitable answer. My teacher didn't have much of a personality, as I remember, and he just wanted me to shut up and do the equations. The next year, I took basic geometry and had an easier time because I could see what was going on. But anytime an algebraic equation was introduced into the shape we were making, a segment of my brain rebelled and went for a walk in the park, sat on the swings, and kicked its feet in the sand at the bottom of the slide. My geometry teacher was a little kinder than the algebra one and was better at coaxing reasonable class participation from me, and when he retired a few years ago, I sent him a thank you note for his patience. He could never tell me why I would need to know how to divide a triangle when I grew up, though.

So, for those of you who excel at math or at least appreciate it, happy Pi Day, and happy birthday to Albert Einstein. I'll be playing with words and daydreaming on the playground while you busy yourselves with all those silly numbers.

Comments

Ms Mac said…
If you'd taken your maths learnin' just that little bit further you'd have learned that the stuff you learn in algebra and geometry come together in calculus.

Quite what a woman of words would do with calculus is still beyond me though.
8:25 AM
dive said…
Er … It's 14/3 outside the colonies, Robyn.
I'll be happy to celebrate a Pie day instead, though.
Happy birthday to Albert!
Next time you're in London I'll endeavour to explain special and general relativity to you.
Maths is FUN!
9:25 AM
Scout said…
Ms Mac, me taking a calculus class. Bah, that's so funny!

Dive, math is NOT fun. Math sucks. And I hadn't thought about the reverse way to present the date. I guess the odd looking man who started this thing hadn't thought of that either.
9:34 AM
Shazza said…
Pi day...who da thunk it?

I don't know much about algebra...don't know what a slide rule is for...la, la, la.

When I went back to school...to college, I had a great algebra teacher who actually took the time to teach me. I aced the class. I was really excited because I considered myself a math moron.

I prefer to take my brain for a walk in the park though..it loves the swings!
12:29 PM
Maria said…
I had a math teacher in high school who was very impatient and he goes down in my memory as the one and only teacher who ever told me I was stupid.

I had stayed after school for math help and after he spent about an hour trying to explain a complicated algebraic problem to me, he finally threw up his hands and said, "I don't think I can help you anymore. You appear to be simply stupid."

I cried all the way home in the car. Now, I get MAD whenever I see him at church when I go home to that little town in Iowa where I was brought up.

In fact, I just might call him on the carpet the next time I see him, because I am STILL mad just thinking about this!
3:55 PM
Maria said…
And hey...off subject...but you are the only other person I know who watches Lost.

What did you think of last night's show? Kind of a trippy ending, yes?
4:36 PM
Cheltenhamdailyphoto said…
Ooooh pie r squared. Loved all that. lol.
4:42 PM
Mrs. G. said…
Some mornings I wake up and I wonder, "what day is Robyn covering today?" Pi day? Perfect.
7:35 PM
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