Friday, March 13, 2009

Pi Day

Tomorrow is one of those days we math geeks love--it's Pi Day, 3/14. Those darned chemistry geeks get two Avogadro's Days, 6/02 and 10/23, but Pi Day is more well known, more popular. Ours even gets write-ups at CNN, but neither Avogadro's Day does. So we're cooler.

Someone with much more talent and much more time on her hands than I have has rewritten the lyrics to that early 70's classic American Pie. It's very well done. The chorus:

So why, why can’t I calculate pi
I just want to see the numbers 3.1415
And if that’s all, then let’s keep it alive
‘Cause my calculator seems to have died.
My calculator seems to have died.

Top that, chemistry geeks!

14 comments:

Stopped Clock said...

Awesome. I found an even longer version though:

http://pgs.k12.va.us/~ldarby/pi.htm

Stopped Clock said...

Actually your version has better rhythm. A shame I don't have school tomorrow, my teacher is of the rare sort that would get a kick out of this and I am of the rare sort that wouldn't be embarrassed.

Anonymous said...

Why the attack on chemistry?

Also, would you say physics is the purest science? or chemistry? What about math?

Ellen K said...

Chemistry at our schools have Mole Day. I have to settle for Picasso's Birthday.

Darren said...

Come now, anonymous. Let's have some light-hearted fun.

And Donalbain, I didn't considered the European method of writing dates. No offense intended to our European betters :-)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: Here, this should settle it.

Anonymous said...

I'm taking a class and the instructor had his cell phone alarm set for 1:56PM - 3/14 1:56 - 3.14156

I assume he wasn't geek enough to want to get up at 1:56AM to celebrate Pi day and chose to ignore military time.

gbradley said...

I only heard about Pi day a couple of years ago.
I wonder who first made the connection popular?
I don't remember it at all from when I was a kid.
My son's Math Field day team was called the Prado View Πrates.
I loved that name.

Anonymous said...

Seen that, but was looking for a serious answer. Also, still wondering why you attacked chemistry twice in the post. Not that I'm pro-chem, just curious

Darren said...

Don't be such a ninny. It was a joke.

Anonymous said...

I'm not, I just meant why chemistry and not something else? Is it because that is the only one you could think of a day for other than math?

Darren said...

Yes. Do you have any other days, so I have others at which I could toss friendly barbs?

Anonymous said...

No, but that is an interesting assignmnent.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I thought the European Pi Day was July 22nd (22/7). But maybe that's just because I like fractions.