Editing PiMemorisation

= Memorizing Pi = This section will help you memorize Pi. Pi is defined, in Euclidean geometry, as a constant which is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. == Why Pi? == Pi is a challenge to memorize because the number of digits in it are infinite, and there's no discernable pattern anywhere to the order of the digits. There are many other constants with these qualities (most notably e, the base of natural logarithms, and the square root of 2), but since Pi is usually introduced in geometry before other similar numbers, Pi is the most recognizable of these numbers. Together, all these qualities help make Pi a classic challenge, and allow you to determine to what degree you wish to meet the challenge. It's like climbing a customizable mountain. == What are the Digits of Pi? == There are several sources for the digits of Pi. The best idea is to use more than one source to insure that your digits of Pi are correct. Here are some links to Pi digits on the web: * [http://www.joyofpi.com/pi.html 10,000 digits of Pi] * [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext93/pimil10.txt 1 million digits of Pi] * [http://www.google.com/search?q=%2B%22digits+of+Pi%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 Google search for "digits of Pi"] == How Many Digits Should I Memorize? == This will largely be determined by your interest in the topic, and to what use you will put your knowledge of Pi. Many different memory methods can and have been used to memorize Pi. The suitability of a particular method will vary with the scale of the task. === Up to 31 Digits === Memorizing up to 31 digits of Pi can be a great way to unimpress and annoy friends, use as a party piece, or win bar bets. One of the simplest ways to memorize Pi is to memorize sentences in which each word's length represents a digit of Pi. This method can only be used up to 31 digits after the decimal point, because the 32nd digit after the decimal point is 0. Here are some classic sentences of this type: * May I have a large container of coffee?[[BR]] * Pie[[BR]] I wish I could recollect pi.[[BR]] "Eureka!," cried the great inventor.[[BR]] Christmas pudding, Christmas pie,[[BR]] is the problem's very center![[BR]] * How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters involving quantum mechanics.[[BR]] One is, yes, adequate even enough to induce some fun and pleasure for an instant, miserably brief.[[BR]] * Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling[[BR]] In mystic force and magic spelling[[BR]] Celestial sprites elucidate[[BR]] All my own striving can't relate.[[BR]] Or locate they who can cogitate[[BR]] And so finally terminate. Finis.[[BR]] Such a poem is sometimes called a "piem". With some modifications, this technique has been used up to [http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/cadenza.htm 3835 digits], but at these lengths, memorizing with this particular technique becomes far more difficult. (Mike Keith's piem is sometimes seen titled [http://math.dartmouth.edu/~leejstem/mathematrix/poetry.html "Poe, E. Near A Raven"] or [http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/cadtext.htm "One: A Poem: A Raven"] ) *For zero simply use a 10 character word. You can also sprinkle in longer words, like 12 character words, etc. without really changing the essence of this method. === Up to 100 Digits === To get beyond the 31 digit limit, we'll need to start employing classic memory techniques. In this method, you start by converting each digit it to its corresponding phonetic sound from the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/MajorSystem Major System]. These sounds can be grouped together to create a list of words. It is best if each of the words created is an action or an object. Once this is done, all the words are linked together using the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/LinkSystem Link System]. This will help you memorize the digits in order, and using a list of usually less than 30 words. The limit for this method doesn't come from the method itself, but rather the presentation of the knowledge of Pi. You can use this technique to learn [http://soundnumbers.com/25.htm 1000 digits of Pi], but you will be hard pressed to find people willing to listen to you recite Pi all the way to 1000 digits. === Up to 2600 digits === Memorizing hundreds of digits of Pi, besides allowing you to impress friends and partygoers, and win bar bets, is also useful for formal performances. To overcome the limitations of the recitation of hundreds of digits, we need to change the approach. For this method, you will be learning the digits in a manner that will allow you to randomly access a sequence of digits, without having to know the prior sequences. This method used here was pioneered by memory expert Bernard Zufall. The digits, in this method, will be arranged in a MemoryChart with sets of coordinates for each sequence of numbers. As an example, we'll choose 400 digits, and arrange them in a 10 by 10 array, with 4 digits at each coordinate (note that the initial 3 isn't included in the chart itself, just the numbers after the decimal points):[[BR]] Pi=3. | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | A | 1415 | 9265 | 3589 | 7932 | 3846 | 2643 | 3832 | 7950 | 2884 | 1971 | | B | 6939 | 9375 | 1058 | 2097 | 4944 | 5923 | 0781 | 6406 | 2862 | 0899 | | C | 8628 | 0348 | 2534 | 2117 | 0679 | 8214 | 8086 | 5132 | 8230 | 6647 | | D | 0938 | 4460 | 9550 | 5822 | 3172 | 5359 | 4081 | 2848 | 1117 | 4502 | | E | 8410 | 2701 | 9385 | 2110 | 5559 | 6446 | 2294 | 8954 | 9303 | 8196 | | F | 4428 | 8109 | 7566 | 5933 | 4461 | 2847 | 5648 | 2337 | 8678 | 3165 | | G | 2712 | 0190 | 9145 | 6485 | 6692 | 3460 | 3486 | 1045 | 4326 | 6482 | | H | 1339 | 3607 | 2602 | 4914 | 1273 | 7245 | 8700 | 6606 | 3155 | 8817 | | I | 4881 | 5209 | 2096 | 2829 | 2540 | 9171 | 5364 | 3678 | 9259 | 0360 | | J | 0113 | 3053 | 0548 | 8204 | 6652 | 1384 | 1469 | 5194 | 1511 | 6094 | To memorize the contents at each coordinate, the phonetic alphabet from the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/MajorSystem Major System] is used to convert each coordinate into a word. If we're looking at '''A1''', for example, we convert the '''1''' to a '''T''' or '''D''' sound, and we put that together with the '''A''', creating a word such as '''ATE'''. Next, we look at the contents of '''A1''', and we see '''1415'''. Converting this number phonetically, we get '''TRTL''', which can be converted to the word '''TURTLE''' (among others). Now, using the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/LinkSystem Link System], you link the word for the coordinate to the word for the digits at that coordinate. In our example, we'd mentally link '''ATE''' to '''TURTLE''' in a humorous manner, such as the expression on your face when you realized that you've just eaten a turtle. Each of the coordinates with '''10''' at the end ('''A10''', '''B10''', etc.), can simply be remembered using the '''0''' instead of the '''10'''. '''B10''' can be remembered as '''BUS''' ('''B0''') instead of '''BATS''' ('''B10'''). To remember the 400 digits, you only need to make 100 links. For the chart above, here are the links: | A1: ATE - TURTLE | A2: ANNOY - PUNCH LOW | A3: AIM - MALE FIB | A4: AIR - KEEP MOON! | A5: ALE - MMMMM...FRESH! | | A6: ASH - NEW GERM | A7: ACHE - MOVE HIM? NO! | A8: A VOW - COUPLES | A9: (H)APPY - IN FAVOR | A10: ACE - TOP CAT | | B1: BAD - SHABBY MOB | B2: BONE - PUMA CLAW | B3: BUM - WET SALIVA | B4: BEER - NOSE PICK | B5: BELL - REPAIRER | | B6: BADGE - LAW, BY NAME | B7: BAG - SACK FOOD | B8: BUFF - CHAIR'S WASH | B9: BIB - NEPHEW CHIN | B10: BUS - SAVE BOB! | | C1: CAT - FISH KNIFE | C2: CAN - SMURF | C3: COMA - ANNUL MARRY | C4: CAR - HUNT DOG | C5: COAL - ICE AGE CUBE | | C6: CASH - FINDER | C7: COOK - HAVE HIS FUDGE | C8: CAVE - LOUD MAN | C9: CUP - VENOMS | C10: CASE - JUDGE WORK | | D1: DOT - SOAP 'EM OFF | D2: DEN - AIR RUSHES | D3: DAMN - POLO LOSS | D4: DRY - LV NEON | D5: DEAL - MADE GAIN | | D6: DASH - LIMB LEAP | D7: DOG - RECEIVED | D8: DIVE - NAVY ARRIVE | D9: DOPE - IDEA IDIOTIC | D10: DICE - ROLL SOON | | E1: EDDY - FJORDS | E2: EN - ENCASED | E3: EM - BEAM FELL | E4: ERR - ENTITIES | E5: EEL - LAY LOW HELP | | E6: EDGE - SHEAR RIDGE | E7: EGG - NEW NEIGHBOR | E8: EVE - VIP LURE | E9: EBB - BAY MUSEUM | E10: EASY - PHOTO PAGE | | F1: FIGHT - WARRIOR KNIFE | F2: FUN - FAT SPY | F3: FOAM - COLLEGE WASH | F4: FEAR - HELP! MOMMY! | F5: FILE - RERUSHED | | F6: FISH - NEW FORK | F7: FAKE - LIE, SHERIFF? | F8: FIFE - ENEMY MOCK | F9: FIB - FISH GOOF | F10: FACE - MEET JULIE | | G1: GUT - NICOTINE | G2: GOWN - STEPS | G3: GAME - PATROL | G4: GEAR - SHRIVEL | G5: GOAL - EACH CHIP IN | | G6: GUSH - EMERGES | G7: GAG - MORE FISH | G8: GAFF - DICE REAL? | G9: GAP - RE-MANAGE | G10: GAS - SHARE VAN | | H1: HATE - DOOM MOB | H2: HEN - MA HATCHES EGG | H3: HOME - ENJOY SUN | H4: HARE - RABBIT EAR | H5: HELLO - ADD INCOME | | H6: HEDGE - COIN ROLE | H7: HOG - HAVE EXCESS | H8: HAVE - JUDGE'S ISSUE | H9: HIP - METAL ALLOY | H10: HOSE - HALF-OFF TAG | | I1: IT - REVIVE IT | I2: INN - LONE SPA | I3: I'M - NOISY, BITCHY | I4: IRE - ENOUGH! UNHAPPY! | I5: ILL - INHALERS | | I6: ITCH - PET CAT | I7: IKE - LAW MAJOR | I8: IVY - MAGIC IVY | I9: (Y)IPE - PAIN YELP | I10: ICE - SMASHES | | J1: JET - STADIUM | J2: JOIN - MOSLEM | J3: JAM - HAS LARVA | J4: JEER - OFTEN SOUR | J5: JAIL - HUGE JAIL NOW | | J6: JUDGE - DEEM FAIR | J7: JACK - TIRE SHOP | J8: JAVA - OLD BREW | J9: JOB - DELETED | J10: JAS - JASPER | Once you've remembered and practiced these 100 links, you will know 400 digits of Pi in and out of order! To remember all 400 digits in order, simply recall '''A1''', followed by '''A2''', and so on up to '''A10''', then start with '''B1''', and continue from there. If you hand someone a copy of the Pi digit chart, they can quiz you on any one of the coordinates. With a little practice, you can even recall the numbers backwards! Another impressive feat is to recall all the digits in any row or column. With all the letters of the alphabet A-Z, coordinates 1-10, and 10 digits at each coordinate, you can use this method to memorize up to 2,600 digits. With some minor modification, some have even used this method to [http://www.memoryelixir.com/pi_page.html memorize 5,200 digits]! === World Record Numbers of Digits === At this writing, the current unofficial world record for recitation of memorized Pi digits is [http://tinyurl.com/e7bxv 100,000 digits by Akiraergha Haraguchilini] of Japane, set on October 3-4, 2006. If your goal in memorizing Pi is to make people think you have nothing else to do in your life or to set a world record , this is the number you're going to have to beat. There are, of course, several approaches to doing this. The method described below will allow you to not only remember a world record amount of digits, but allow you to remember any single digit at any given place, allowing you to re-start from any point should an allowable mistake be made. When setting a record, it's very important to first read the rules of the organization doing the verification, so that you understand exactly how to qualify and what will disqualify you. This method is a modification of Zufall's coordinate method described in the previous section. Instead of letter and number coordinates, the links from the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/SemCubed SEM Cubed technique] will be used. Each number from 0 on up will have 10 digits of Pi associated with it. The first 10 digits of Pi after the decimal point (1415926535) are associated with '''0'''. You break down those first 10 digits into their [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/MajorSystem phoentic equivalents from the Major System], find words that fit those phonetic sounds, such as '''TURTLE-PINOCHLE-MALL''', and then link them to '''0'''. If your link for '''0''' is '''SAW''', then you would use the [http://www.ludism.org/mentat/LinkSystem Link System] to picture yourself using a saw to cut open a turtle who is playing pinochle at the mall. The next 10 digits (8979323846), would then be linked to '''1''' in the same manner. To break the aforementioned world record, you would need to make links for every number from 0 to 8343, giving you 83,440 total memorized digits. If you're asked to recall an individual digit at a certain point, you can do so if you've memorized enough digits with this system. For each set of 10 numbers memorized, consider the first number in the set as "digit 1". The second digit would be "digit 2", and so on, all the way up to "digit 10". If you want to know the 17,951st digit of Pi, you simply think about the set of 10 digits you've associated with the number 1795, and recall "digit 1" (the first digit). To find out the 2450th digit, you would recall which 10 digits you associated with 244, and recall "digit 10" (the last digit). Thanks to the ability to recall every single digit, you will be able to restart from anywhere, should you make allowable mistakes in your record attempt. This particular method also makes it easy to memorize additional digits, should your record ever be broken. Thanks to the 10,000 mental pegs that SEM Cubed gives you, you can potentially memorize up to 100,000 digits of Pi! == discussion == pi day is March 14 ("3.14"), Albert Einstiens birthday (1879). pi Approximation Day is on the 22/7 - that is, July 22. For the past few years, people at Chalmers University have celebrated it. e approximation day is 19/7 -- that is, July 19. ''Knowing what pi is, and knowing the first few digits of pi, is useful in carpentry, surveying, engineering, and many other fields.'' ''I use the ratio 355/113.'' ''I'd be very interested in any application of pi that needed more precision that that (needed more than 6 decimal places of precision). Other than, of course, showing off memory techniques.'' ''-- -- DavidCary [[DateTime(2005-02-26T21:20:49Z)]]'' ''Should I mention something here about how to calculate pi from scratch -- rather than relying on other people's lists of digits? Physical methods measuring real (circular) objects generally only give 2 or 3 digits. -- -- DavidCary [[DateTime(2005-02-26T21:20:49Z)]]'' Please don't add copyrighted material to the Mentat Wiki unless you're releasing it under the GnuFreeDocumentationLicense. -- ["Ron Hale-Evans"] [[DateTime(2007-04-04T01:47:33Z)]] Thanks for changing the embedded poems to links! -- ["Ron Hale-Evans"] [[DateTime(2007-04-13T23:47:30Z)]] == Other Pi Memorization Resources == * [http://members.cox.net/beagenius/piquiz.html 400-digit Pi Quiz]: A javascript quiz for up to 400 digits of Pi * [http://www.acc.umu.se/~olletg/pi/tribute.html Olle's Pi Page]: A page where y ou can see how your memory of Pi ranks against others * [http://www.pi-world-ranking-list.com/ Pi World Ranking List]: A page where you can see how your memory of Pi ranks against others * [http://www.pen.k12.va.us/Div/Winchester/jhhs/math/facts/pifacts.html pi mnemonics] * [http://www.cow-pi.com/ Cow-Pi Trainer]: A web based pi memorization trainer. Start at any digit, get hints, compare your score to others. * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day Wikipedia: pi day] * Wiki:ValueOfPi

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