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Today is Pi Day. For mathematical boffins, that means a day of celebration and probably also eating pie.
The date, written as 3/14, is similar to the mathematical constant Pi, which is approximately 3.14 (to infinity).
Subsequently, this day has turned into the international day of mathematics, which, surprisingly, only started being celebrated last year by the International Mathematical Union.
In South Africa, the theme Mathematics for a Better World has been adopted by the SA Mathematics Foundation and a few events are being planned.
Dr Belinda Huntley of the SA Mathematical Society says that the Wits Siyanqoba Mathematics Olympiad Centre plans to celebrate Pi Day with some fun activities for high school pupils.
“The session will be online on Google Meet. For the juniors in grades 8 to 10, we plan to play the game Kahoots, with questions based on Pi Day. For the seniors in grades 11 and 12, we plan to focus on problem-solving questions that use irrational numbers like Pi,” she says.
The University of Pretoria will also host discussions to celebrate Pi Day and will stream the programme live on YouTube.
Eder Kikianty, a senior lecturer in the department of mathematics and applied mathematics at the University of Pretoria, says the event is “targeted at anyone interested in maths”.
Some afternoon activities include a maths quiz, a Rubik’s Cube contest and mathematical puzzles.
The University of Johannesburg will also host fun talks by mathematicians and interactive activities via Zoom.
But why is Pi Day so important?
Well, Pi is used extensively in engineering to solve geometric problems, in designing aircraft and determining the areas of their bodies, estimating things such as the effects of wind on tall buildings or the area in a garden that a water sprinkler can cover.
Read | Mamokgethi Phakeng: Finding her comfort zone in mathsIt was even used in the OJ Simpson trial in the mid-1990s when the defence attorney’s and FBI agent’s dispute revolved around the value of Pi.
The FBI agent’s findings in the case were not accurate because he had used Pi inaccurately.
It has been established that humans have used Pi for more than 4 000 years, with the Egyptian pyramids being a key example.
The vertical height of the pyramids has the same relationship with the perimeter of their base as the relationship between a circle’s radius and its circumference.
So why not celebrate this day of mathematics with some actual pie as you discuss Pi with the family?
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