Pi Approximation Day 2023: Date, History, Significance
Pi Approximation Day is a time to celebrate the mathematical constant pi. The day is observed by math enthusiasts around the world

Pi Approximation Day is celebrated every year on July 22. The date was chosen because it is written as 22/7 in day/month format, which is a common approximation of the mathematical constant pi (π). (pi). It is observed by mathematics enthusiasts around the world.
Pi Approximation Day 2023: Date
Pi Approximation Day is celebrated because 22/7 is a common approximation of pi, which is the mathematical constant that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. When the date is written in the day/month format (22/7), it looks like the fraction 22/7.
There's also an International Pi Day celebrated on March 14 (3/14 in the American date format) because 3.14 is the most common decimal approximation of pi.
Happy pi approximation day!
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) July 22, 2021
Today's date, 22 July, can also be written as the fraction 22/7 which is equal to 3.14285714, an approximation of Ï, correct to two decimal places. pic.twitter.com/4MPaHjNgAu
Pi Approximation Day 2023: History
While the origin of the history of Pi Approximation Day 2023 is unknown, the concept of Pi has been known and used for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians and Babylonians knew about the existence of this ratio, but they didn't have a symbol for it. They used approximations, and the Babylonians estimated Pi to be about 3.125. The first calculation of Pi was done by Archimedes of Syracuse (287–212 BC), one of the greatest mathematicians of the ancient world. Archimedes worked out that Pi was between 3 1/7 and 3 10/71.
The symbol "π" was first used in 1706 by Welsh mathematician William Jones. This symbol was later popularised by Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler in the 18th century, and it is now used universally to denote this important mathematical constant.
Pi Approximation Day 2023: Significance
Pi Approximation Day is significant because it is a time for mathematicians and math enthusiasts around the world to appreciate the beauty and complexity of this mathematical constant. It is also a day to engage in activities designed to make math fun and accessible. Pi is not just used in geometry. It is a fundamental part of various branches of mathematics and appears in many formulas in all areas of physics and engineering.
Activities might include eating pies, throwing pies, calculating the value of pi, creating pi-themed art or music, or hosting pi recitation competitions, among other things.