Home California Rep. McNerney Celebrates Pi Day

Rep. McNerney Celebrates Pi Day

by ECT

Washington – Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09), the only Ph.D. mathematician in Congress issued the following statement in celebration of Pi Day, March 14, 2016:

“Pi Day celebrates everything fascinating in the world of mathematics by recognizing its most famous and irrational number: 3.14…. First discovered in Ancient Greece, Pi has captivated mathematicians like me, and thinkers for thousands of years, and its properties continue to endure in today’s popular culture. Technically speaking, π is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter of the circle. It is classified as a transcendental number meaning that is not algebraic or the root of any integer polynomial. Pi also has an infinite, non-repeating decimal expression when calculated.

“On March 14th we also celebrate the birthday of Albert Einstein, and his incredible contributions to science and our understanding of the universe we live in. I think it is fitting that Pi and Einstein share a day of recognition since π is an integral part of Einstein’s field equations for his general relativity theory.

“From the early days of civilization to the space exploration of the 21st Century, we have used science and mathematics to create the building blocks of our society and beyond. Pi Day serves as a fun reminder to our students about the importance of studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in school, and how the tools learned in those subjects can lead to successful careers. It is also an opportunity for Congress to reflect on the intersection between STEM subject matter and public policy decision-making.

“Whether using π in an equation, telling a friend your ‘punniest’ Pi Day joke, or eating a slice of delicious sweet or savory pie, I hope we all take time to recognize the significant role that mathematics play in our world and the ability of one number to capture our creativity and imagination.”

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