American Pi
Hey, I know three digits:
A high school student Tuesday recited 8,784 digits of Pi - the non-repeating and non-terminating decimal - likely placing him among the top Pi-reciters in the world.Okay, two things:
Gaurav Rajav, 15, had hoped to recite 10,790 digits and set a new record in the United States and North America. But he remembered enough to potentially place third in national and North American Pi recitation and 12th in the world.
His ranking should be verified by the Pi World Ranking List within two months.
"I'm kind of disappointed, but I guess I did OK," said Gaurav, a junior at Salem High School.
1. That's right, the term is "Pi-reciter."
2. 10,790 digits would be a record . . . but only for North America.
God bless Gaurav, but I have to wonder if, when he's old and gray, he'll look back on this time in his life and be happy he spent hundreds and hundreds of hours memorizing digits of Pi. I strongly suspect he'll find himself wishing he had spent a bit more time and energy on "other activities."
posted by Detlef at 6:56 PM permalink
2 Comments:
Lordy, I feel sorry for Mr. Gaurav. Bad, bad way to spend the prime of your life.
No maths teacher in her right mind would promote such an activity. If the teacher were LOOKING for a way to indicate to her students that "yes, maths is pointless and without value in the real world," then she's succeeded. My God what a waste.
Get the kid a date, not an Xbox.
3:33 AM
"to potentially place third in national and North American Pi recitation" does it for me.
Hell, even Molly Craig would be excited.
5:40 PM
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