Every year, on March 14, people who love numbers and math think about a special number called pi.
We say “pie” and we write it as “?”. It starts with the numbers 3.14. Pi reminds us that math can be fun and important in our lives.
But why do we celebrate pi? What about other numbers like e or the golden ratio? Some people think other numbers deserve their own days, too.
Pi is a special number because it shows the relationship between a circle’s distance around it (circumference) and its width (diameter). This number goes on forever and never repeats. The Welsh teacher William Jones named it in the 1700s.
People have known about pi for a long time. Even the Babylonians, about 4,000 years ago, used it to understand circles.
Today, pi is important in many areas of science and math. On Pi Day, people celebrate by sharing fun facts and enjoying pie!
Vocabulary List:
- Circumference /sɜrˈkʌm.fər.əns/ (noun): The distance around a circle.
- Diameter /daɪˈæm.ɪ.tər/ (noun): A straight line passing from one side of a circle to the other through the center.
- Relationship /rɪˈleɪ.ʃən.ʃɪp/ (noun): The way in which two or more concepts objects or people are connected.
- Celebration /ˌsɛl.əˈbreɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The action of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion.
- Understand /ˌʌn.dəˈstænd/ (verb): To grasp the meaning significance or nature of something.
- Important /ɪmˈpɔːr.tənt/ (adjective): Of great significance or value.
How much do you know?
