Happy PI Day 2010: Google Finds Math Fun!

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the celebration of Pi Day, specifically on March 14, and various interpretations and implications of this date. Participants explore the significance of Pi Day, its recognition in different cultures, and mathematical concepts related to pi.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that Pi Day is celebrated on 3-14, while questioning its recognition in countries that use a different date format.
  • There is a discussion about the idea that there will never be a Pi Day in foreign countries due to the absence of a 14th month.
  • One participant suggests that Pi Day could also be celebrated on July 22 (22/7), which is a closer approximation of pi.
  • Another participant mentions the significance of 3-14-15 as a future Pi year.
  • A participant expresses a preference for defining pi as the ratio of circumference to radius rather than diameter, arguing for its elegance in representing a full revolution.
  • Some participants share humorous remarks and personal anecdotes related to Pi Day celebrations.
  • There are references to the historical context of pi and methods of approximating its value through infinite series and polygonal approaches.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the recognition of Pi Day across cultures and the appropriateness of the date itself. There is no consensus on the best way to celebrate or define pi, and multiple competing interpretations and humorous takes are present throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on cultural assumptions about date formats, and there are unresolved discussions about the mathematical definitions and implications of pi.

Borg
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I went to Google this morning and found out that today is http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/12/pi.day.math/" . :biggrin:


piday10-hp.gif
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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It's pi day because it's 3-14.

I believe that means it's not pi day in foreign countries because they put the day of the month first.

And, since there's no month 14, there will never be a pi day in foreign countries.

Or is that just circular reasoning?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
zoobyshoe said:
Or is that just circular reasoning?

Arrrggghhhh... :rolleyes:

Gokul43201 said:
You mean [itex]\pi r_0^2[/itex] ?

Exactly. Cakes are square; pie are round. :biggrin:
 
zoobyshoe said:
It's pi day because it's 3-14.

I believe that means it's not pi day in foreign countries because they put the day of the month first.

And, since there's no month 14, there will never be a pi day in foreign countries.

Or is that just circular reasoning?
To be intentionally obtuse, that's not circular, but incomplete. Completeness, within this particular argument, would also require you to note that April never has 31 days.

Of course, Jan 3rd is really not so terrible, but just doesn't have enough zing in it.
 
zoobyshoe said:
It's pi day because it's 3-14.

I believe that means it's not pi day in foreign countries because they put the day of the month first.

And, since there's no month 14, there will never be a pi day in foreign countries.

Or is that just circular reasoning?

Hmm. 3-14-15 will be PI year.
 
zoobyshoe said:
And, since there's no month 14, there will never be a pi day in foreign countries.

Sure there will. We just do it on 22/7 (22nd of July) which is actually closer to pi than 3.14. Alternatively people have been known to do it on the 314th day of the year, but I can never remember when that is and I don't reckon it's that popular except for people who want an extra chance to celebrate pi day.
 
  • #10
I'm wearing http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/sciencemath/6e7e/ today.
 
  • #11
happy Pi-nstein day!
 
  • #12
I have a problem with pi. Pi was arbitrarily chosen to be the ratio of circumference over diameter thousands of years ago. But as most problems in math and physics are solved in term of radius than diameter, there is more elegance for pi to be circumference over radius (6.28318). It represents a full 360 degree revolution, and not 180.
 
  • #13
Happy pi day! I found the perfect square pie to celebrate. :biggrin:

3063024748_7d252abc83.jpg
 
  • #14
Gokul43201 said:
To be intentionally obtuse, that's not circular, but incomplete. Completeness, within this particular argument, would also require you to note that April never has 31 days.

Of course, Jan 3rd is really not so terrible, but just doesn't have enough zing in it.

And it's too close to New Years.
 
  • #15
Moonbear said:
Happy pi day! I found the perfect square pie to celebrate. :biggrin:

3063024748_7d252abc83.jpg

That's not pie, it's...

spam.jpg
 
  • #16
Just think how hard they partied on 3/14/1592
 
  • #17
Shouldn't pi day be tomorrow? It rounds up to 3.15
 
  • #18
Pinu7 said:
Shouldn't pi day be tomorrow? It rounds up to 3.15

How? 3.141...rounds down.
 
  • #19
Some of the calculations are done by infinite series approximations. There are proofs that some infinite series converge to the value pi. One can then calculate these infinite series to many many terms and get a good approximation of pi (the faster the series converges the better).

Another method would be to make more and more sided polygons and measuring the perimeter vs "radius" of these polygons. If you get a polygon with 1 billion sides, you get a pretty good approximation of pi as well.
 
  • #20
Moonbear said:
How? 3.141...rounds down.

Oh never mind(well, atleast I know pi is 3-ish). :redface:
 

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