Happy Pi Day!

Submitted by Rachel on March 14, 2014

We love every number here at Plus equally (ok, not really, 3 and i are the best numbers), but there is no denying the fame, ubiquity and usefulness of the number $\pi $. Today, written as 3.14 in US date format, is known as Pi Day, and we are celebrating with this lovely image created by Mick Joyce.

pi

Graphic representation of $\pi $, created by Mick Joyce

Joyce wrote a computer programme to create the image, with each of the digits in the decimal expansion of $\pi $ represented by a different coloured pixels, demonstrating that the expansions is essentially without repeats or structure. Joyce's page is one of our favourites from the upcoming book, 50 Visions of Mathematics. The book (which we were lucky enough to help edit) will be released in May to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, but you can preorder it now!

Our friend Alex Bellos is also celebrating Pi Day with beautiful pictures in his Guardian blog, as well as translating the classics into Pilish. And we loved the, perhaps photoshopped, $\pi $ in the sky from @inFinnityPi.

You can read all about $\pi $ on Plus:

But, of course, if you are anti-pi, you are in good company….