As I said in the March issue of CEP, I have a lot of fun with number patterns, especially dates. Veterans Day last year was particularly notable, falling on 11/11/11. My last birthday was eleven twenty twenty-eleven (11/20/2011), and my brothers' birthday the year before was 12/11/10.
So it might seem unlikely that I would get excited about an irrational number that contains no patterns. Today, mathematicians and number-lovers celebrate Pi Day -- because the date can be written as 3.14; extreme enthusiasts take pi to five decimal places and mark Pi Minute at 1:59 (3.14159).
Pi Day was created in 1988, and is the brain child of Larry Shaw, a physicist at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The Exploratorium has a slate of activities planned, including a Pi Procession, in which each participant carries a digit of pi while chanting the Pi Day song and then circling the Pi Shrine 3.14 times. And, of course, there will be pie eating. If you can't be there in person, you can watch the Exploratorium's webcast on www.exploratorium.edu/tv starting at 1 pm (Pacific time).
There's a Pi Day Challenge, a series of logic-based puzzles, here. I got stuck on Puzzle 3 and gave up (for now). Hints, anyone?
Cynthia Mascone
Cindy Mascone is Editor-in-Chief of Chemical Engineering Progress, AIChE’s member magazine. She has more than 25 years of experience as a technical editor and writer, including four years as the head of her own freelance consulting business, Engineered Writing. Previously, she worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
She holds a BS in chemical engineering and engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon Univ., and has been an active member of AIChE and Society of Women Engineers.
As I said in the March issue of CEP, I have a lot of fun with number patterns, especially dates. Veterans Day last year was particularly notable, falling on 11/11/11. My last birthday was eleven twenty twenty-eleven (11/20/2011), and my brothers' birthday the year before was 12/11/10.
So it might seem unlikely that I would get excited about an irrational number that contains no patterns. Today, mathematicians and number-lovers celebrate Pi Day -- because the date can be written as 3.14; extreme enthusiasts take pi to five decimal places and mark Pi Minute at 1:59 (3.14159).
Pi Day was created in 1988, and is the brain child of Larry Shaw, a physicist at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The Exploratorium has a slate of activities planned, including a Pi Procession, in which each participant carries a digit of pi while chanting the Pi Day song and then circling the Pi Shrine 3.14 times. And, of course, there will be pie eating. If you can't be there in person, you can watch the Exploratorium's webcast on www.exploratorium.edu/tv starting at 1 pm (Pacific time).
There's a Pi Day Challenge, a series of logic-based puzzles, here. I got stuck on Puzzle 3 and gave up (for now). Hints, anyone?
Comments
I brought in pies to work, but very few people knew what I was talking about. It was sad, and delicious.
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I sent happy pi day messages to 10 friends. 2 wrote back "huh?" 1 wrote back said good one! 10% celebration rate?! I am flying up to join the AIChE staff for Pi Day next year. Cindy - do you need a guest judge for PI competition?
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