Anyone who has ever sat in a math class has probably wondered the same thing. What is pi? Not the kind of pie that we eat, but the kind of pi that gives mathematicians an appetite. Put simply, pi is an irrational number, which means it cannot be made into a fraction. It can only be written as an infinite number. It also never repeats itself. Pi originally represented the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, but it is used all over the world of mathematics today. Its symbol is universal and symbolic. Many people from across the world celebrate pi day, even if they don’t share the same language.
The discovery of pi stretches back to the ancient Babylonians. Humans have studied pi for about 4000 years. During this time, mathematicians have also created their own pi language. Many people also try to competitively recall the infinite number. The record belongs to Chao Lu, of China, who recited pi from memory to 67,890 places. That’s about 67,887 numbers longer than most people know! Some scholars even believe that pyramids in Egypt have been calculated around the use of pi.
Pi has been used in many different areas throughout history, and it continues to be a worldwide phenomenon. March 14 is always a fun day to try and teach students about the never-ending number known as pi.
Article written by Tyler Anderson, Middle School English/Writing teacher and Athletic Coach. Principal, Tracie Camp.
[3-26-2018]
Posted in 
