Let’s learn – The life of π (Pi)

I am certain that if one conducts a survey amongst school students on what scares them the most, Math would be ranked higher than even the scariest of monsters. Such is the terror of this subject!

However, today is the International Day of Mathematics and the birthday boy/girl is exempted on his/her special day, right? So, on this special occasion, let us get past the eternal fear of Math and explore this subject with some really cool facts.

Did you know why March 14 is annually celebrated as the International Day of Mathematics? This day is the 14th day of the 3rd month of the year, same as the numeric value of Pi- 3.14 (Pi as you might recall is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter)

Interesting right?

Now, I know most of you don’t want to go back to those lectures, which have thankfully finished ages ago. But no harm in knowing some more cool facts:

1.  The symbol for pi has been in use for over 250 years.
2. The exact value of pi can never be calculated.
3. The record for reciting the most number of decimal places of pi was achieved by Rajveer Meena at VIT University, Vellore, India on 21 March 2015. He was able to recite 70,000 decimal places. To maintain the sanctity of the record, Rajveer wore a blindfold throughout the duration of his recall, which took an astonishing 10 hours!
4. Interestingly, some of the most famous scientists in the world have a connection to pi day. Albert Einstein was born on March 14th,  1879. Stephen Hawking died on March 15th, 2018 at the age of 76.
5. Pi was also a part of Egyptian mythology and it’s being said that the Pyramids of Giza were built based on the principles of Pi.

Clearly, even boring Math can be interesting, and a good teacher is required for that. And guess what, we are in luck today. Let us hear from an expert, who has been making Math easy for countless students over the past  25 years. 

Mr Naresh Marwaha, a Math teacher at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, believes that ‘Mathematics is a subject which is not to be feared but to be cheered’. He reminds students, “You must understand the concepts rather than rote learn them. To understand Math, all you have to do is be curious and clear about the ‘why’ prior to the ‘how’ of a topic.”

Mr Marwaha opines that Math must relate with daily life tasks such as art and sports. “After all, creativity and innovation help develop interest in the subject,” he emphasised. The teacher, who is a proponent of using modern technology to make concepts clearer for students, asserts, “Be a problem solver and practise the subject daily by working out some challenging questions. Memorising the tables will make your calculations faster and perfect.”

While the ace teacher has his tips and tricks for the students, it is the pupil that must practice to master this subject. One must remember that at the end of the day Math teaches us one big life-skill. It reminds us that every problem can be solved, be it in the paper or in life. And also, if you look closely enough, many times the question carries the solution within.

Wishing everyone a Happy International Day of Math.

Be infinite like the pi!