From St. Patrick’s Day to the start of Ramadan, the month of March holds many different holidays. However, there is one significantly overlooked holiday: Pi day, which is on March 14th. This day has coined the term “Pi Day” from its written form 3.14, signifying the first 3 digits of the infinite number pi.
Within the high school itself, math teacher Mr. Weimer holds an annual pi memorization competition. This year is the 21st annual competition for the high school. Anyone in the school can come to him and recite any number of digits that they can remember to receive an official “Pi Day ” certificate signed by himself. If you are a student in one of his classes, you can even memorize numbers for extra credit. The official WHS record is 1020 digits by Brent Myrand in 2006.
Mr. Weimer states, “My personal best is 451 digits, but today I can only do the first 110 or so off the top of my head. As for the significance to me, I just love math and I want to share that with everyone. And honestly, pi is my third favorite irrational number, behind the golden ratio and e.”
Many mathematicians have come to incorporate the number of pi (3.14…) into many important math equations that have been used to solve the most complex of problems. This number is an infinite representation of digits that continue forever and will never repeat segments within it. Commonly expressed in math equations as the symbol π, this strange combination of numbers is calculated as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter.
This complex of numbers is also a coveted record for individuals to hold as to who can memorize the most digits in a row. The current world record is held by Rajveer Meena, who has memorized a whopping 70,000 digits and managed to do so while blindfolded. This record has been sought out to be beaten by many individuals, but none have been able to come close to it.
March 14 can also be celebrated in a variety of pies. From making your own flavored pie to even having chicken pot pie for dinner, there are endless ways to personalize this day to your liking. One popular option located in Plymouth, Michigan is the Grand Traverse Pie Company. This sweet treat shop has all kinds of pie from classic apple pie to the sweet tooth banana cream pie. This shop even has an online store that you can shop from. Click here to find the menu!
