What is Pi?

1
What is Pi?

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?veiHWHT_8WrE
• 1. the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet 2. the
  consonant sound represented by this letter. 3.
  Math. A. the letter p, used as the symbol for the
  ratio of the circumference of a circle to its
  diameter. B. the ratio itself 3.141592.

2
What is Pi?

• Pi is the ratio of the circle to the square,
  where one side of the square is the circles
  radius.
• Math historians often state that the Egyptians
  thought p (256/810). In fact, there is no
  direct evidence that the Egyptians conceived of a
  constant number p, much less tried to calculate
  it. Rather they were simply interested in finding
  the relationship between the circle and the
  square, probably to accomplish the task of
  precisely measuring land and buildings.

3
What is Pi?

• The Great Pyramid at Giza has a fascinating
  relationship inherent in its structure The ratio
  of the length of one side to the height is
  approximately p/2. Egyptologists and followers of
  mysticism have supposed for centuries what this
  means and why it is, for the approximation is
  significantly better than the value for pi that
  the ancient Egyptians are understood to have
  known. However, Herodotus wrote that the pyramid
  was built so that the area of each lateral face
  would equal the area of a square that had one
  side as long as the pyramid was tall. It can be
  shown that any pyramid with this framework will
  automatically approximate pi. (WOW!)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vyCe1G0LuHKsfeature
  related

4
Hmmm

• When Greek philosophers found that the square
  root of 2 is not a rational number, they
  celebrated the discovery by sacrificing 100 oxen.
  The much more profound discovery that p is a
  transcendental number deserves a greater
  sacrifice. Again mathematics triumphed over
  common sense.
• In the Greek alphabet, p is the sixteenth letter
  (and 16 is the square of 4). In the English
  alphabet, p is also the sixteenth letter, and i
  is the ninth letter (the square of 3). Add them
  up (16 9), and you get 25 (the square of 5).
  Multiply them (16x9) and you get 144 (the square
  of 12). Divide 9 by 16, and you get 0.5625 (the
  square of .75). Its no wonder that they say, Pi
  are squared!
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?ve11W7EzoivEfeature
  related

5
Memorizing Pi

• Pi is not just a collection of random digits. Pi
  is a journey an experience unless you try to
  see the natural poetry that exists in pi, you
  will find it very difficult to learn. (A. Basman)
• In 1995, a twelve year old Chinese boy recited
  the value of pi to 4,000 decimal places. It took
  twenty-five minutes.
• In 1983, a man recited 31,811 digits of pi.
• In 1995 a twenty-three year old recited 42,000
  digits of pi.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vVqpWETqoD5Q

6
Memorizing Pi Using the number of letters in
each word

• How I wish I could calculate pi
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vzZdAef42KHc
• Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
• In mystic force and magic spelling
• Celestial spirits elucidate
• All my own striving cant relate.
• Or locate they who can cogitate
• And so finally terminate. Finis.

7
Memorizing Pi

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vNBqVvAU-gdg
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vnmXkDbGdD4Qeurlht
  tp//video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?ppidayso
  ngn21eiutf-8fryfp-t-501fr2tab-imgtnr
• Probably no symbol in mathematics has evoked as
  much mystery, romanticism, misconception and
  human interest as the number pi (p)

8
Memorizing Pi

• Learning many digits of pi carries with it
  certain severe dangers, and can do mental damage
  that takes a long time to heal. The mind knows
  perfectly well that learning digits of pi is not
  something to its benefit, and is likely to take
  severe retaliation against you once it works out
  what you are doingIf you start to feel these
  effects, stop learning immediately. ( A. Basman)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vQs464DqnPTo

9
Pi Facts

• The height of an elephant (from foot to shoulder)
  is 2px(diameter of its foot)
• p is the symbol Sandra Bullock clicks on to gain
  access to unauthorized databases on the Web in
  the movie The Net.
• If a string were tied around the equator of the
  earth (assuming the earth were perfectly round,
  which it isnt), the string would have to be 2 p
  feet longer in order to sit 1 foot off the
  surface of the globe.

10
Pi Jokes

• Q What do you get if you divide the
  circumference of a jack-o-lantern by its
  diameter?
• A
• Pumpkin p
• Comic

11
Additional Pi Links

• teachpi.org
• mathwithmrherte.com/pi_day.htm
• joyofpi.com
• eveandersson.com/triviapiday.org
• Please email michelle.morison_at_smusd.org with any
  other wonderful links or great Pi jokes.

12
Pi Credits

• Grandma Helene bakes the BEST Apple Pie in the
  WORLD.
• All of the text was blatantly plagiarized from
  The Joy of Pi, David Blatner, 1997.
• All videos are linked to YouTube and credits may
  be viewed as to who the wonderful creators and
  performers are.
• Images are from Yahoo Images.
• This Power Point is only for use in the
  classroom.
• Pi Day 2008