By Lysandros Lysandrou
March 14th is celebrated globally as Pi Day. Of all mathematical constants, Pi is the best known and commonly approximated as 3.14. Thus, Pi Day honors the constant Pi specifically and mathematics generally. Pi is defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference divided by diameter. The Greek word for circumference is «περειφέρεια» (periphery). For this reason, the first letter «π» of this word «περειφέρεια» has been adopted as the universal symbol of this fundamental mathematical constant.
Pi Day is observed on March 14th because the date (3/14) matches the first three digits of π (=3.14). While this date is written as 14/3 in most European countries, the American date format (3/14) coincidentally aligns with the digits…
