Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3.14 for Americans!) each year to celebrate the wonderful world of maths and the mind-boggling constant Pi. The significance of Pi Day is to acknowledge the importance of mathematics (and Pi) in science, engineering, and technology. Pi is used in a wide range of fields, from calculating the orbits of planets to designing buildings and bridges. It is a fundamental mathematical concept that helps us understand and describe the properties of circles and other curved shapes.
Pi Day is celebrated by maths enthusiasts around the world through various activities both in and outside of the classroom. Below are some of my favourite Pi-based resources, links, and videos.
The ASAP Science pi song is a musical tribute to the mathematical wonder that is pi, which represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. The song explains the significance of pi in mathematics and its practical applications in fields like engineering, physics, and computing. It also features an upbeat and catchy melody with creative lyrics that cleverly incorporate the digits of pi.
"The Infinite Life of Pi" is a TED-Ed video that outlines the origin and significance of pi, an irrational number that goes on infinitely without repeating. The video explores the history of pi and its applications in fields like mathematics, engineering, and physics. It concludes by highlighting the ongoing efforts of mathematicians to calculate the digits of pi with greater precision, using powerful computers and sophisticated algorithms.
Did you know Pi is so infinitely big that YOUR date of birth exists within the digits of pi?? Don't believe me try it for yourself!
Ideal for a self-guided discovery-based lesson! This Mathigon course takes students through the significance of pi, its discovery, and right through to pi in pop culture and movies! Oh, and did I mention it's interactive!
Don't just take it from me that pi is important...NASA has produced incredible resources and challenges for use during Pi Day. These resources showcase the importance of Pi in NASA's work on their various missions. There is something there for students of all ages from first to sixth year. It is an ideal cross-curricular for JC students with MANY links to the earth and space learning outcomes.
Looking for an effortless way to lighten the mood and remove maths anxiety from the equation tomorrow? Try some of the fantastic pi puns out on your students!
My favourite:
The worst thing about getting hit in the face with pi is that it never ends.
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