Much more than just a date on the calendar, Pi Day has become a major cultural and educational event, combining science, creativity, and fun traditions.
Why March 14?
The choice of this date is not insignificant because in the American format (month/day), March 14 is written as 3/14, a direct reference to the first three digits of π: 3.14. This mathematical nod is to the origin of this celebration, which began in the United States before conquering the rest of the world.
Pi Day is much more than a simple commemoration; it is a unique opportunity to promote mathematics to the general public. Schools, universities, and scientific centers organize workshops, conferences, and competitions around π. Number lovers have fun reciting as many decimals of π as possible – a challenge that can go up to thousands of digits for the most daring. The number π Being irrational, its decimals are infinite and non-repeating. Records are regularly set for calculating or reciting its decimals. In 2019, Google used its cloud infrastructure to calculate up to 31,415 billion decimals!
But the day is not limited to mathematics, as it is also marked by fun and gourmet traditions. In the United States, it is common to bake pies, due to the phonetic similarity between "pi" and "pie". These circular desserts are a unique way to pay tribute to this constant linked to circles.
An international reach
In 2019, UNESCO officially declared March 14 as International Mathematics Day, reinforcing its global importance. This initiative aims to raise public awareness of the impact of mathematics in our daily lives, whether in technology, medicine, or even space exploration.
Pi Day also coincides with significant events in scientific history. Albert Einstein was born on March 14 in 1879. Furthermore, Stephen Hawking, the famous British astrophysicist, died on March 14 in 2018. These coincidences reinforce the symbolic and scientific dimension of this day!
For those who missed this Pi Day on March 14, another date exists: July 22 (22/7). This fraction is an ancient approximation of π used by the ancient Greeks. Although less popular than the official Pi Day, it remains an additional opportunity to celebrate this fascinating constant.
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