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Posted on 03/14/2009 6:43:59 PM PDT by Clint Williams
whitefox writes
"The scoop from CNet is that 'The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a resolution introduced two days earlier that designates March 14, 2009 (3/14, get it?) as National Pi Day. It urges schools to take the opportunity to teach their students about Pi and "engage them about the study of mathematics."' The resolution is available online. I doubt it'll ever become a national holiday, but the Pi string in the article is pretty cool in a nerdy sort of way."
Ya can't make it up: House praises pi
With the world swirling about it, the House took a moment Thursday to honor pi, the Greek letter symbolizing that great constant in mathematics representing the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.Irrational and Congress. How well the two go together.An irrational number that has been calculated to more than 1 trillion digits, pi is a concept not totally foreign to today's Washington. But in this case, the goal was to promote efforts by the National Science Foundation to improve math education in the United States, especially in the critical fourth to eighth grades.
Rounded off, pi equates to 3.14, hence the designation of March 14 as Pi Day under the resolution. Informal celebrations have been held around the country for at least 20 years, but Thursday's 391-10 vote is the first time Congress has joined the party.
"I’m kind of geeked up about it," Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) told POLITICO. "It's crazy, but I’m a whole lot more excited about that than congratulating the winner of last year's Rose Bowl.
"I'm not making this up. I have been fascinated by pi since I was a kid. It blows my mind. It's lovely. The fact that it's sort of this infinite number. I just think it's this magical thing. ... There's a real beauty to mathematics."
Engineering and technology companies backed the effort, and like most things in the House, there's a San Francisco angle. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has pressed hard for Congress to do more to promote science, and the San Francisco Exploratorium, in her home city, takes credit for the first Pi Day celebration in 1988, with staff and public marching around one of its circular spaces and then consuming fruit pies.
"I am asking our nation’s students and teachers, for all of our sake, to go out and have fun around Pi Day," said Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) who managed the bill on the floor this week for the House Science Committee.
March 14 is also the birthday of Albert Einstein — adding to the convergence of big ideas.
"It makes you realize how consequential you really are," Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) said with a smile.
But there's always one: "We were never good at math in my family," said Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.). "I thought I was voting for p-i-e."
No pubbies were quoted in this article.
If 3/14 became a national holiday, couldn’t it go on forever and never repeat?
Say WA? Evergreen State ping
Quick link: WA State Board
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.
From what I understand, there are several supercomputers trying to find out. ;-)
Why not, we recently had square root day.
Does this mean I can get a piece of the Pi? 9.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999.... (ad infinitum?)
Kinda like our bailouts and deficit, huh? ;)
While millions lose their treasures, representing a lifetime of sacrifice and toil, isn’t comforting witness our leaders working on such important things... bastards all.
Great. How much did that cost us?
What about e day on Feb 7? Logarithms just don’t get any respect these days...
“If 3/14 became a national holiday, couldn’t it go on forever and never repeat?”
No, that would be irrational.
“I am asking our nation’s students and teachers, for all of our sake, to go out and have fun around Pi Day,” said Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) who managed the bill on the floor this week for the House Science Committee.”
I am asking our nation’s students and teachers, for all of our sake, to just learn math and science. For a change.
That would depend on the ratio of the sane to koolaid drinkers.
“I’m not making this up. I have been fascinated by pi since I was a kid. It blows my mind. It’s lovely. The fact that it’s sort of this infinite number. I just think it’s this magical thing. ... There’s a real beauty to mathematics.”
someone should introduce him to imaginary numbers. oh wait, he voted for the stimulus package.
Setting a “holiday” after a number like “pi” is irrational!
Mark
Setting a “holiday” after a number like “pi” is irrational!
what did you expect from Washington DC?
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