Six things you didn’t know about Pi Day

Celebrated every year on March 14, Pi Day honours the famous mathematical constant Pi (3.14). While many people mark the day by enjoying pie or solving math puzzles, Pi Day also has a fascinating history and several surprising facts attached to it.

It Was First Celebrated in 1988: Pi Day was first celebrated in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw at the Exploratorium. The celebration included a parade around a circular space and eating fruit pies. (wikimedia commons)

It’s Also Albert Einstein’s Birthday: March 14 is also the birthday of the famous physicist Albert Einstein, making Pi Day even more special for science lovers. (wikimedia commons)

It became an official holiday in the US: In 2009, the United States House of Representatives officially recognized Pi Day as a way to promote interest in mathematics and science. (wikimedia commons)

Pi Goes On Forever: The number pi is an irrational number, meaning its decimal digits never end and never repeat in a predictable pattern. Mathematicians have calculated trillions of digits of pi using advanced computers. (wikimedia commons)

There’s a Longer Version Called Pi Approximation Day: Another celebration related to pi happens on July 22, known as Pi Approximation Day. The date (22/7) represents the fraction 22 divided by 7, which is a well known approximation of pi. (wikimedia commons)

There’s Also a “Pi Minute”: The exact moment that perfectly represents pi is 1:59 PM on March 14. Written together with the date (3/14), it forms the sequence 3.14159, the first six digits of pi. (wikimedia commons)