EntertainmentHave a Happy Pi Day
Thu, Mar 14 2007
Once a year mathematicians gather to talk about Pi, rhapsodize about it, eat Pi-themed foods have Pi recitation contests and, just maybe, feel a little less sheepish about their unusual passion. But why today? Well many people celebrate Pi by holding a Pi Day on March 14th or 3/14.
Pi Day is celebrated in a variety of ways. Parties or other observances may be held by mathematics departments in educational institutions. Harvard's Math department, for instance, has a Pi recitation contest as well as a Pi eating contest.
Mathematics or science clubs might gather to consider the role that the number Pi has played in their lives and to imagine the world without Pi. During such an event, Pi celebrants may approximate Pi, devise alternative values for Pi, eat pie, play piñata, drink Piña Colada, eat pizza, listen to the song Pi by Kate Bush, watch Pi, or recite Pi. The song 867-5309/Jenny is sometimes sung, replacing the digits with the first several digits of Pi.
Is interesting to note that March 14 happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday, among others, and it is common to sing "Happy birthday Dear Albert". Daniel Tammet gave a tribute to Einstein reciting 22,514 decimal places which coincided with Einstein's birthday and took place in front of Einstein's blackboard at the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, England.
Still "hungry" for more pi? Well If you are fan of Pi and living in San Francisco, swing by the Exploratorium 
, join the school kids and "gather around the Pi Shrine to perform pi-related rites and eat ritual food, sing Pi Day songs, bead a pi string, and circumnavigate the pi shrine.
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