A little admission before we get going: I’m not naturally talented at math, but I LOVE math. A lot of people say they’re “not good at math” or even that they “hate” it. It breaks my heart a little when I hear people say it, because like so many worthwhile things, it takes a lot of practice for most of us to get better at it.
But the challenge can be so disheartening that people just do what they need to do to get through a required class and they rarely feel like they “get it” in a way that engages them. I was one of those people once. Then I met geometry.
Geometry didn’t grab me right away, but my high school geometry teacher (shoutout to Mr. F!) brought it to life and made it interesting. He’d give us little puzzles or questions (not always related to math) at the beginning of class to get us thinking. He showed us a Nova episode I’ll never forget (“The Proof”). He taught us logic and proofs, and it clicked that math is much more than just numbers and letters.
Above all, he taught math in a way that made me see it isn’t really about arriving at the right answer; it’s about thinking my way through something. Asking myself, “How do I begin? What’s next? Does this make sense? What about if I...?” Checking my work. Making connections.
Pi Day https://www.piday.org/ is a day on which we can form some of those connections and have a bit of fun with them. Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. There are so many ways I could wax poetic about Pi, but let’s start off with some fun:
Around the World in Eighty Games
Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension
Foolproof, and Other Mathematical Meditations
While I said I wouldn't spend too much time waxing poetic, one has to ask, is Euler's Identity the most beautiful mathematical formula in the world? I personally think it might be. What's so special about it? It is a simple and elegant equation that shows a relationship between what are probably the five most important numbers in all of mathematics: e, i, π, 1, and 0. Additional fun (non-math) fact, Euler is pronounced "oiler" like a member of Houston's former NFL team.
Up for a challenge? Give these a try!
I would be remiss if I failed to bring attention to amazing women mathematicians during Women’s History Month!
Speaking of coding, I have to make mention of Raspberry Pi, single board computers that enable people to use (and even learn) to code computer programs in a straightforward yet fun (and often useful!) way. Automation? You bet. Robots? Yep. Robot cars?! YES! Fighting robotS?!?!?! YEAH!
Raspberry Pi Coding & Projects The Complete Manual
Make : Getting Started With Raspberry Pi
Of course, Pi Day is also celebrated with a favorite treat that happens to be a homophone for Pi, PIE!
While I will only grudgingly call a pizza a pie, I suppose it should be included for the sake of completionists.
Lastly, I want to mention Tau. Tau is another Greek letter (our letter T) that some argue is more suited to many calculations than Pi! Tau Day is celebrated June 28th (6.28).
Check out the following website for more information and to see why some say "Pi is wrong!" https://tauday.com/
Add a comment to: Pi Day: A Math Celebration Everyone Can Enjoy