Pi Trivia Quiz

Who, in 1706, first gave the Greek letter “pi” its current mathematical definition?

• Napoleon Bonaparte

• William Jones

• Albert Einstein

• Attila the Hun

Pi is transcendental. What does this mean, in mathematics?

• It was Ralph Waldo Emerson’s favorite number.

• It is equal to the ratio of two integers

• Its square root is imaginary

• It cannot be expressed as an integer, or as a root or quotient of integers

What is the earliest known reference to pi in history?

• The Bible

• Euclid’s Elements, written in the 3rd century BC

• The Rosetta Stone, approx. 200 BC

• An Egyptian papyrus scroll, written approx. 1650 BC by Ahmes the Scribe

People tried for centuries to “square the circle”. What were they trying to do?

• Determine the value of pi squared

• Construct a square that perfectly circumscribes a given circle

• Use a straightedge and compass to construct a square exactly equal in area to a given circle

• Multiply a circle by itself

What is the first non-zero digit in the decimal expansion of π (pi) after the decimal point?

• 4

• 1

• 2

• 3

Are pi’s digits periodic? In other words, do the digits ever repeat themselves in any pattern?

• Perhaps. Not enough digits of pi have been calculated to know yet

• Yes. Every infinitely long number repeats itself

• No. Every periodic number is rational, but pi is irrational

• Yes. The digits repeat themselves every 6,000,000 decimal places

Pi is an irrational number. What does that really mean?

• Its digits cannot be rationed out evenly

• Nobody with sound judgement has anything to do with it

• It is a real number, but can’t be expressed as a ratio of two integers

• It is a complex number

Among the digits of pi currently known, the concentration of each of the digits 0-9 are pretty close to equal. However, in the first 30 places of pi’s decimal expansion, which digit is completely missing?

• 8

• 0

• 2

• 7

What is the “formal” definition of pi?

• The surface area of a sphere of diameter 22/7

• 3.1415926

• The radius of a circle

• The ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter

Imagine if you wrapped a rope tightly around the earth at the equator. How much longer would you have to make the rope if you wanted it to be exactly one foot above the surface all the way around?

• 2 ∏ feet

• 2 ∏ r feet, where r is the radius of the earth

• ∏ r ^2 feet

• No additional length is needed