You don’t have to be a fan of math to get excited about Pi (“π”) Day. While the event may start with some calculations, it is more than likely to conclude with a slice or two of delicious pie. The holiday is held every March 14, because “π” is widely recognized as 3.14.
The tradition of honoring “π” began at San Francisco’s Exploratorium Museum. On March 14, 1988, physicist Larry Shaw convinced his colleagues to mark the day by marching around one of the museum’s circular spaces and consuming fruit pies. The celebration was made official in 2009 when the U. S. House of Representatives set aside March 14 as Pi Day.
Today, Pi Day is observed in many creative ways.
Students at the Galifomia Institute of Technology in Los Angeles host a pie-eating event, which begins at 1:59 a. m. and features 26 pies, each of five different flavors. Though that might seem random, the date (3.14), time (159), number of pies (26), and number of varieties (5) recreate the first nine digits of “π”: 3.14159265!
Students applying for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge eagerly wait for the day every year to find out if they have been accepted. However, instead of sending out the offers at 3:14 p. m., the institution waits till 6:28 p. m. 6:28 is referred to as “tau”, which is “π” multiplied by 2. The number is believed to be much more reliable than“π” by some experts and even has its own celebration on June 28. Since 2017, MIT has also used Pi Day as a fundraiser to support its students, departments and programs.
This day is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so the town of Princeton, New Jersey, where Einstein lived from 1935 to 1955, celebrates the occasion with multi-day festivities that end on March 14. Visitors can take part in concerts, shows, as well as pie-eating, Pi-recitation, and Einstein-lookalike contests.
8. Where was Pi Day originally celebrated?
A.In San Francisco. | B.In Los Angeles. | C.In Cambridge. | D.In Princeton. |
9. What does MIT do on Pi Day?
A.Make desserts of different flavors. | B.Conduct a calculating test. |
C.Inform applicants of application results. | D.Organize a march around the campus. |
10. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Pi Day is held every May 14. |
B.There is no difference between “tau” and “π”. |
C.MIT has used Pi Day as a fundraiser to support Exploratorium Museum. |
D.Albert Einstein lived in the town of Princeton for twenty years. |
11. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To advise. | B.To make an introduction. |
C.To argue. | D.To make a comparison. |