Did you know that mathematical concepts like Pythagorean Theorem, Fibonacci Sequence, Avogadro’s Number, Euler’s Number, Palindromes and Square Root all have holidays to celebrate them. Other holidays related to math include World Maths Day and Women in Mathematics Day.
These holidays allow us to celebrate these unique concepts in math and how they appear in our everyday lives. Today just so happens to be one of those days: Pi Day. Whether you’re just starting off your math journey or a seasoned student preparing for your SATs, you’re bound to find some interest in hearing about Pi Day and other holidays in the mathematical world.
Pi Day
Pi (π) is the most studied number in the history of math. People have been fascinated by it for hundreds of years. Pi is a defined number and represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
That number is 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679…
For simplicity, we usually round pi down to 3.14, hence providing us with a date for Pi Day: March 14. This may not be a serious holiday, but it certainly reminds us that math is all around us- and it gives us a great excuse to use a cake, pie, or pizza to learn more about this mathematical concept.
Did you know that the symbol for pi (π) was introduced back in 1706 by Welsh mathematician Willliam Jones? With many other fun facts surrounding this day, there is no doubt that this may be the most popular mathematical holiday there is.
Pythagorean Theorem Day
The pythagorean theorem is the formula used to calculate the length of the sides of a right triangle. The formula, a² + b² = c², is celebrated on the day that matches the formula. The next Pythagorean Theorem Day will be in 2025, with the previous one being in 2020. The upcoming holiday will be on July 24, 2025.
July 24, 2025
7/24/25
7² + 24² = 25²
Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci’s Sequence is a group of numbers that create a spiral. Starting with 1, 1, each following number is added to the sequence by adding the previous two numbers together. It will create a visual spiral and oftentimes can be found in nature. Next time you see a pineapple, take a look at the patterns to see if you can identify this sequence.
1 (+) 1,2, (+) 3 5, (+) 8,13, (+) 21,34, and so on…
Knowing this, we can see the first four numbers are 1, 1, 2, 3, creating a date of 11/23 (November 23). Every year on November 23rd we can celebrate Fibonacci Day and the history of this concept and its creator.
Did you know that Fibonacci was the first to introduce Hindu-Arabic numerals to Europe? Learn more about the famous Italian mathematician before this year’s Fibonacci Day.
Mole Day
Contrary to popular belief, Mole Day does not celebrate the mole animal, but rather celebrates Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 10²³). This mathematical concept is celebrated each year on October 23 from 6:02am to 6:02pm. On this day, we can celebrate through “mole” related activities like eating food with mole sauce or even molasses cookies. The National Mole Foundation chooses a theme each year, and 2024’s theme is EncantMole.
E Day
E Day celebrates Euler’s Number. This mathematical concept is the constant of “e” and holds a value of 2.7182818- but like pi, “e” goes on forever. Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, founded the concept of “e” in 1748 using “e” as a symbol for exponents. The first two digits of “e” are 2.7 and can be translated to the date of February 7.
Palindrome Days
A palindrome is a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backwards as it does forwards. Words like mom, dad, racecar, peep, and refer are all palindromes. In the world of math, we can essentially create a palindrome by placing any sequence of numbers together. A number like 4224 reads the same backwards and forwards and can even be translated into the date of April 2, 2024. There may be more than one palindrome day in a year- can you find the rest for 2024?
Square Root Day
Square Root day is celebrated on the days when both date and month are the square root values of the last two digits of the year. Knowing this, we can see that unfortunately Square Root day cannot be celebrated every year. The next date for this holiday is May 5, 2025 (5/5/25) because √25= 5 (both the day and the month).
Did you know that Square Root Day was invented in 1981 by Ron Gordon, a high school teacher in California, on September 9, 1981 (9/9/81)? Learn more about Square Root Day in preparation for next year’s rare day!
World Maths Day
World Maths Day, also known as International Math Day, is one of the world’s largest global educational events. This day aims to unite children all across the globe through friendly competition and a love for math. Founded by 3P Learning back in 2007, World Maths Day has had over 10 million participants from more than 160 countries. On World Maths Day, students will log on to the platform and complete 20 sixty-second math games, earning 1 point for every correct answer.
Women in Mathematics Day
Did you know that women earned 43% of Bachelors degrees in mathematics and statistics just 10 years ago? Every year on May 12, we celebrate the impact of women in mathematics. While they may be the minority in the field, they certainly do not go unnoticed. Events to celebrate this “day” can go from May 1st to 15th. Women like Maryam Mirzakhani, Katherine Johnson, Sofia Kovalevskaya, Malala Yousafzai, Mayim Bialik, and many others have played crucial roles in developing and promoting women in the world of STEM. Challenge yourself to pick one woman in math each year and learn more about her accomplishments in the field of mathematics.
At Online Math Center
Mathematical holidays help us remember the relevance in math beyond just 1 + 1 = 2. With days celebrating certain concepts, and others reminding us of the overall importance of math, there are many opportunities to incorporate these topics into your activities. At OMC, we celebrate these holidays with joy and a positive outlook that our future generations will one day find new mathematical concepts to be celebrated on days such as these.
Contact us at OMC today to ensure your child gains a great understanding of the most important mathematical concepts like pi, pythagorean theorem, and more. Students can strengthen their skills in foundational topics at OMC through our classes and tutoring.
With two difficulty levels per grade, OMC works to get every student as advanced as possible; in mathematics and beyond. Signing them up for classes that are made to fit their specific educational needs will benefit them in the long-term, in mathematics and in daily life.
