Happy Pi Day! 3 Ways To Find π

March 13, 2015

For years, math fans around the world have celebrated Pi Day on March 14. You can find videos, songs and T-shirts to mark the occasion. Many also count it as a day to eat lots of pie.

Why is the number Pi, denoted by the Greek letter π and pronounced “pie,” worthy of so much praise?

Pi  is one of the most common constants in all of mathematics. It is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter or approximately 3.1415926. This year, the day is even more special since it’s 3-14-15.

According to PiDay.org, Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.

Here are some ways to find π if you don’t have a pie or calculator: