Happy National Pi Day!

Here are some fun facts about National Pi Day (3.14) 

1.  Pi Day is a relatively new celebration in the U. S.  In 1988, Larry Shaw of the San Francisco Exploratorim started the first large-scale celebration in one of their circular rooms.  They have plenty of events "circled" up for today.

2.  In 2009, the U. S. House of Representatives designated March 14 as National Pi Day.

3.  In case you've forgotten, in mathematical terms, Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, or 3.14.

4.  Whole Foods is offering select pies (of the dessert variety) at $3.14 off.  Kroger and Publix also have deals on select pies.  I guess the key word is "select)

5. You can also get deals on pizza pies.  Check out this site. Who doesn't love pizza?

6.  March 14 is also Albert Einstein's birthday.

7.  Steven Hawking passed away on March 14.

8.  Pi Day has its own organization.

9.  The math teachers at the school in which I teach made shirts that they always wear on pi day, but this year, they won't get to since it falls during spring break.

10. Pi Day is not to be confused with National Pie Day, an actual food holiday celebrated on January 23.  National Pie Day was created by Charlie Papazian in the 1970's to commemorate his own birthday.  Papazian, in case you're wondering, is a nuclear engineer, a craft beer brewer, and an author.

11. Pi was originally calculated by Archimedes of Syracuse who lived from 287-212 BC.

12. For an interesting Pi Day activity, try having your friends try to recite Pi, and see who can remember up to the farthest decimal, then reward them with a pie! 3.1415926535897932384626433...

13.  The most important thing about Pi Day, March 14, is that it was my father's birthday.  He's been in Heaven for 14 and a half years, and I miss him every. single. day. 

Sources:  Valley News, Wikipedia, Thrillist, National Today.

Link up at Thursday 13 for more fun!

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