17 Pi Facts: The Wonderful World of 3.14
More to Pi than Meets the Eye
If you’ve been to school any time within the last century and a half, chances are you’ve learned about Pi. You might remember a few things… it’s an irrational number (whatever that means), it’s connected to circles (diameter maybe?) and it goes on and on forever (…it does right?). But for all the things you think you might remember about this amazing mathematical constant, there are 10 more that will surprise you!
Full disclosure: we love Pi. Kumon is a very math-centric place and Pi is one of the few “math all-stars” out there! So naturally, with Pi Day fast approaching (March 14th = 3.14 – you knew that, right?), we put together a list of the most mind blowing fun-facts we could find about our favourite never-ending, never-repeating number. And when you’re done with these wacky facts, why not check out these fun activities you can do with your kids? Enjoy!
The History of Pi
Pi is normally something you’d only remember from your high school math class. But there really is a bunch of cool history to this mathematical powerhouse! The concept of Pi is so well-known and well-loved that it has its own day – March 14th (3.14). Check out the links below for a bit more on the history of Pi:
- Pi Wiki: A whole bunch of Pi history
- The Founder of Pi: William Jones!
- Pi Day Wiki: Everything you ever wanted to know about Pi Day
Crazy Pi Facts
On the surface, Pi might seem like just a regular old mathematical constant. But there’s actually some pretty wild stuff just beneath the surface. For starters, Pi Day is on the same day as Albert Einstein’s birthday! Check out the links below for some more Pi weirdness:
- Guinness World record: Most Pi decimal places memorized and recited in one sitting.
- Tau (the replacement for Pi?): Just when you thought Pi was confusing enough, somebody thinks it should be replaced by another constant known as Tau!
Fun with Pi
It turns out that there’s much more fun to be had with Pi than meets the eye! Check out this site for Pi jokes and this site for endless (literally endless) fun with the digits of Pi. Here are 3 of our favourite Pi jokes:
- Did you know the roundest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference? Why? Too much Pi.
- Never talk to pi. He’ll go on forever.
- 3.14 percent of sailors are pi-rates.
The Music of Pi
The hills are alive… with the sound of Pi! Here are a couple of our favourite Pi songs:
- Pi Piano: Image if “Pi” was represented via an amazing piano performance. This is what it would sound like!
- Pi Rap: A fun rap song inspired by Pi? Have a listen here.
Pi in the Arts
Math and art are not something you’d normally equate. But Pi is no normal number! There’s a Pi film that actually received great reviews. We’ve also included a video that shows how beautiful the number Pi can be when it is displayed graphically in different ways. Check it out:
- Pi – The Movie: Check out the actually well reviewed Pi movie here.
- Pi is art: This brilliant YouTube video takes you on a journey through the artistic world of Pi.
For all the jazzy Pi facts we showed you here, there are dozens more out there. Do you have any Pi nuggets worth sharing? Let us know in the comments below.
Pi is just one of many math concepts your child can quickly master in the Kumon program. For more information on how Kumon can help your child improve their math skills this school year, visit a centre near you!