Another Slice of Pi - March 13, 2009

3.141592 may look like some kind of phone number, but for the mathematically inclined, those numbers have a special significance -- they're the first few digits of pi.  We're not talking about delicious baked desserts, but rather the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. And March 14 -- or 3/14 -- is Pi Day!  Celebrating a fraction may seem like an odd thing to do, but you know what party animals mathematicians are! Any excuse to eat pizza and drink piña coladas -- and especially at one minute to 2:00 pm (3/14, 1:59 being the first six digits of pi) -- well, just stand clear of the piñatas, pine nuts, and pineapples, 'cause you know where the hot geek-on-geek action will be!  But you can do more than just eat; you can convert circles into radians, or go for a 3.14 mile run. If that's too strenuous, though, we recommend sitting down and watching a good movie and eating some delicious homemade snacks. Suggested Sites... Pi Day - rational site for an irrational number. Exploratorium: Pi Day - from the originators of the holiday. Wikipedia: Pi Day - history, fun facts, and things to do. Teach Pi.org - helping teachers and number lovers have a blast. Pi Day Activities - a math teacher gives hints on how to celebrate this most special of days.