Is it normal that i love memorising pi?

18 Comments

I downloaded a free "memorize pi" app not long ago. It has a page with the first 5000 digits, and a test feature. I knew the first twenty digits beforehand, but now I can hardly stop myself from going back to it and memorising the next chunk when I get the urge. There is no real need even in scientific applications for any more than 50 digits, so this is totally pointless on one level, but it feels like an epic story (or never-ending soap opera) that is gradually getting unravelled, and I love spotting all the patterns. My current record is 254, and I have promised myself to stop when I hit 1000. IIN, and has anyone else embarked on this noble challenge?
Oh and happy pi day everyone!
march 14

Nerd. 17
Normal. 20
Abnormal. 9
I know < 100 digits. 9
I know more than 100 but less than 1000 digits. 4
I know > 1000 digits. 3
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Comments ( 18 )
  • dom180
    10 years ago

    I love memorizing Psy. Op, op op op, oppa Gangnam Style!

    :D

    I only know 3.14159 :P A good school friend of mine used to be a bit like you, though. It was kind of his party trick, and he did it to impress teachers all the time. He learned the first twenty or so really quickly, because he was plied by a food reward from a maths teacher if he could do it. Then he built on it. I'm not sure where he stopped, but I get the feeling it was around 70 or 80. And my dad's birthday is Pi Day and he's a mathematician, so he's always been rather proud of it :P

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      Heeeey sexy laydeh op op oppa gangnam style…
      Do you know if your friend used any particular technique for memorizing the numbers? I was surprised to see how many people used cock-eyed methods such as "pi poems" (poems in which the length of each word corresponds to a digit of pi) in order to learn fifty or so of them.
      I don't see why it should be any harder than memorizing a series of telephone numbers, for which people get none of the genius praise.

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      • dom180
        10 years ago

        If I remember correct, he had a song to the tune of which he would "mentally sing" the digits of pi. He could probably play it on the piano while reciting it, if you asked. I'm painting him out to be a rather strange fellow, which is only partially accurate.

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  • Kittykinz
    10 years ago

    I voted abnormal as it is not something the average person does, but I think it's a normal thing for humans to do (discover and challenge ourselves) evening if they seem like pointless things to do! What's the point in life if we can't entertain ourselves by doing things we enjoy ..

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  • MasterOfWaffles
    10 years ago

    Pi is 3.14.
    NOW GIVE ME ALL YOUR TWINKIES

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  • Incomplet
    10 years ago

    My grandma wouldn't let me sleep as a kindergarten kid unless I memorized an additional fifteen digits of pi per weekday. Weekend nights were reserved for classic poetry.

    I think I can still recite about 100-120.

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  • gorillaphant
    10 years ago

    Okay, now will you memorize the definitions of "noble" and tell me how this hobby of yours fits that definition.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      There's no need for that tone of voice, young lad.
      Memorising text isn't really my cup of tea, so I'm afraid I'm going to politely decline your first suggestion. People often qualify athletes and chess players as being "noble", so I don't see why us pi learners should be left out of the flattery :)
      I apologize if my little joke made the post sound arrogant.

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      • gorillaphant
        10 years ago

        I'm pretty sure you couldn't hear my tone. Not that you should be left out of the flattery, but noble isn't the word that comes to mind when I think of someone who can memorize long lists of anything.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          10 years ago

          Well, you're probably right on one level, but it certainly isn't any less noble than running fast or kicking a ball accurately. I shall be more careful when writing future posts, to avoid using inappropriate or confusing terms.
          Also, a tone can in fact be conveyed through writing, and that of your previous comment 'sounded' rather cheeky to me.

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          • gorillaphant
            10 years ago

            That's because you don't know me.

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            • Anonymous Post Author
              10 years ago

              I was probably a little hasty to judge your intentions, but you could have made your criticism sound more constructive. I'm not that good at differentiating between wit and mockery. No hard feelings :-)

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  • megadriver
    10 years ago

    You must be fun at parties...
    I only know Pi as 3.141 and am quite comfortable with it XD

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      I tend to avoid parties, actually, but it's nice to know that I would be able to contribute something if necessary :-)
      Those few digits are already sufficient for most practical applications.

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  • jc25
    10 years ago

    I know 3.1415926535897932 since mid teens and don't have any interest in learning more.

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  • green_boogers
    10 years ago

    I used to know 12 digits, but now I click radians and do:

    pi=4*atan(1);

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    • k2n
      8 years ago

      Last thing I ever did anything with pi was a server and a benchmark.

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      • green_boogers
        8 years ago

        I do spherical volumes, arc lengths, and spherical trig occasionally. I like 4*atan(1) because it adjusts to the size number the processor is using.

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