MetaFilter posts tagged with math and pi

A constant reminder

swift — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:08:04 -0800

"This day may be celebrated in a variety of ways. Pause and give thought to the role that the number pi has played in your life. Imagine a world without pi. Attempt to memorise pi to as many decimal places as you can. If you're feeling creative, devise alternative values for pi. Go to a party (I will). Or just celebrate in the time-honoured fashion of ignoring Pi Approximation Day altogether."

Happy Pi Approximation Day. Previously, approximately.

Pi(es) in a field

casarkos — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:55:45 -0800

A new crop circle formation in Wiltshire depicts the first 10 digits of pi. Bonus gallery of more crop circles, and one of the less paranormally-inclined documentation sites.

3.14159265itwasthebestoftimesitwastheworstofti...

TimeTravelSpeed — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:20:32 -0800

Ever wondered if and where a specific set of numbers could be found in pi? Maybe you'd like to know where your birthday is? Or maybe just something funny. [prev. here, here] Psh, that's child's play. Old news. If you wanna be hip and play with the big boys and girls, you're gonna have to think bigger [previously]. Since computer files are simply numbers, then, in theory, images, audio, video, even wikipedia articles all exist in pi. In fact, all existing data in the universe must be somewhere in pi since it is an infinite, non-repeating sequence of numbers which appear with equal probability (so the theory goes). Some have suggested this is a useful file compression/encryption mechanism. Some have to see a doctor after hearing about it. And some just find its implications amusing. Too bad it's all bunk. But don't lose hope, there may be alternatives. My solution to the debate? -- f*ck it, let's just call it 3. I was surprised by the number of references to this all-things-in-pi concept throughout MeFi, but there was no post explicitly on the subject. I tried to give credit where it was due. Enjoy!

Squaring the square

Wolfdog — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:41:38 -0800

Nowhere-neat tilings are actually pretty neat. We all know you can't "square the circle", but do you know the story of squaring the square? (And by the way, even if you can't construct π with a ruler and compass, you can come awfully close without too much work.)

by the numbers

madamjujujive — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:59:43 -0800

Pi to 1,000 places on piano is just one of the many catchy tunes on math sonifications. And check out more interesting things on on artist Tom Dukich's site.

3.1415926535897932384626433...

Faint of Butt — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 06:48:27 -0800

Very few people will ever need to learn the value of pi beyond a handful of digits, but some people are more obsessed than others. They call themselves Piphilologists, and all the pi-memorization writings you could ever possibly want have been compiled into one massive Piphilogical text file. And today, Piphilologists the world over must surely bow in tribute to Akira Haraguchi, who has just recited pi from memory to 83,431 places.

Crafty geeks

madamjujujive — Mon, 30 May 2005 11:43:52 -0800

Whether its crocheted hyperbolic models or Lorenz manifolds, a lace pi shawl or knit Fibonacci socks, some math geeks find expression in the fiber arts.