I’ve seen stories on CNN and ABC¹ and heard a radio piece on NPR’s “All Things Considered” about “Pi Day.” It’s “Pi Day” because today is 3-14 and Pi is 3.14.
OK – it’s really an infinite string of digits, but 3.14 usually covers it.
What surprised me was the multitude of Pi stories on-the-air today. Is there a Pi PR firm? Does Pi have media savvy? Why this year and not others? Has America developed a thirst for math?
I doubt it. It wasn’t that many years ago Steffie referred to the Pi symbol as a ‘foot stool.’
My knowledge of Pi doesn’t go very deep – 3.1415926. Others can recite the non-repeating sequence of digits by the thousands. In this case there’s no jealousy.
¹ – Bill Blakemore, the ABC reporter on this story, claimed he could recite Pi to 50 digits. It’s no world record, but has to be one for TV reporters.