The date on which Pi Day is a play on the first three digits of the periodic decimal: 3.14
On March 14th, Mathematics and Exact Sciences enthusiasts celebrate Pi Day. The number is a constant represented by the Greek letter p, which gives it its name. This date was chosen for the tribute due to the North American model for representing dates. There the month appears before the day, so the date 03/14 shows the initial pattern of the Pi sequence: 3.14.
The number Pi is the ratio between the length of a circle and its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14. The number Pi appears in several formulas and can be found in everyday life in different ways, from engineering works to astronomical calculations, because it is one of the most important numbers in mathematics.
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“It is used, for example, to calculate areas of circles, volumes of spheres, perimeters of circles, and in equations that describe physical phenomena involving circular movement”, explains Daniel Ferretto, mathematician at the Federal University of Santa Catarina.
Pi is an irrational and infinite number, which means that its decimal representation does not end or repeat. “To date, the most accurate calculations have reached trillions of decimal places, demonstrating the extent and complexity of this number,” he comments.
It is for this reason that the value of Pi can be represented in countless ways, there is no exact definition. After 3.14 there are, literally, an infinite number of other numbers that not even computers have been able to define.
The mathematician explains that the origin of the number goes back to antiquity, with evidence of approximate calculations by Egyptians and Babylonians around 1700 BC. In ancient Greece, Archimedes would also have made significant contributions to understanding Pi.
According to Ferretto, relating to the geometry of circles, the concept was refined throughout the history of Mathematics, reaching its modern representation as a fundamental constant in Exact Sciences.
The date commemorating the number was recorded for the first time in 1988, in an initiative by physicist Larry Shaw with the aim of promoting Mathematics among North Americans. The day also marks relevant events involving scholars of Exact Sciences, such as the birthday of physicist Albert Einstein and the death of physicist Stephen Hawking. With information from Agência Estado
