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Happy Pi Day

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375 dept.

Jonathan writes "Today, the 14th of March, is Pi Day 2008. Pi Day is internationally celebrated in honor of the mathematical constant "Pi," who's actual value will — now and forever — remain unknown. NeoSmart Technologies has a run-down on the history of Pi, Pi Day, and the significance of Pi and other such "magical numbers" to science and technology. 'Pi isn't just a number that you can use to calculate circle-related mathematics, it's a symbol of something by far greater. Pi is one of many "magic" numbers that are found everywhere — if you know where to look. These magic numbers can't be explained, they just are. And if you use them right, they make it a lot easier to do a lot of really complicated things... In a way, they're a testimony to technology and computers (or vice-versa, depending on how you look at it).'"

9 of 351 comments (clear)

  1. Unknown value? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 5, Informative

    I would not say that it has an unknown value, the value is known as the ratio of a circle's diameter and circumference. Just because our system of representing numbers is flawed in that it cannot accurately define numeric sequences that approach infinity doesn't mean it is unknown... That is like saying 1/3 is unknown just because you can't print enough 3's after the decimal place to be accurate.

    Silly boys.

    -ellie

    1. Re:Unknown value? by excelblue · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Don't you mean 10 (base pi)?

      1.0 (base pi) is still 1 (base anything).

  2. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sorry, but we missed Pi day by a longshot. Having Pi day on any old 3/14 lacks sufficient precision. Pi day was on March 14, 1592. Pi second would have been March 14, 1592 at 6:53 and 58 seconds in the morning. I'm sure they were partying like it was 1599 on that day.

  3. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Screw Pi day, come on Steak-n-BJ Day! I'm married, you insensitive clod!
    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  4. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by hansamurai · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tomorrow is the Ides of March, where I will pretend I'm well versed in Shakespeare.

    --
    Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
  5. Re:Happy Pi day... by electricbern · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, the cake is a Pi.

    --
    alias possession='chmod 666 satan && ls /dev > il && tail daemon.log'
  6. Re:Wrong day by Hillgiant · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everyday is approximately pi day. Just some approximations are better than others.

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  7. Re:Happy pi day everyone!! by lgw · · Score: 5, Funny

    "At least I got chicken."

    (not what Leroy Jenkins actually said, but it's still the meme.)

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  8. Pi Joke by lenmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is the volume of a pizza of radius z and thickness a?

    Answer: pi*z*z*a