Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Pi Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Pi Day is on March 14. This is the day when mathematicians and geometry enthusiasts around the world get together and celebrate the mathematical constant of Pi. There are two good reasons to hold Pi Day on March 14. The first is that in the American date format, it is 3/14 and Pi, to two decimal places, is 3.14. The other reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he knew a thing or two about numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum staff walked around the circular spaces in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very little to do with Pi, unless you want to calculate the circumference of your fruity treat.
Pi is a letter of the Greek alphabet. The symbol was first used in mathematical calculations in 1737 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion digits. It has countless numbers of digits. Perhaps more impressive is the feat of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European record for reciting Pi from memory to 22,514 digits in just over five hours. He also suffers from a condition in which he sees numbers as colours. He says Pi is particularly beautiful. The worlds of science, engineering and mathematics would be lost without it. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
geometry enthusiasts around
a.
two about numbers
2
There are two good reasons to hold
b.
places
3.
…to two decimal
c.
the circular spaces
4.
he knew a thing or
d.
the world get together
5.
staff walked around
e.
circumference
6.
calculate the
f.
Pi Day on March 14
Paragraph 2
1.
Pi is a letter of
a.
circle to its diameter
2
The symbol was first used in
b.
to 22,514 digits
3.
the ratio of the circumference of a
c.
mathematical calculations
4.
It has countless
d.
beautiful
5.
reciting Pi from memory
e.
the Greek alphabet
6.
He says Pi is particularly
f.
numbers of digits
LISTENING GAP FILL
Pi Day is on March 14. This __________________ mathematicians and geometry enthusiasts around the world get together and celebrate the mathematical constant of Pi. There are __________________ hold Pi Day on March 14. The first is that in the American date format, it is 3/14 and Pi, __________________ places, is 3.14. The other reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he __________________ two about numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum staff walked around __________________ in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very little to do with Pi, unless you want to calculate the circumference __________________.
Pi __________________ Greek alphabet. The symbol was first used in mathematical calculations in 1737 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used __________________ circumference of a circle to its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion digits. It has __________________ of digits. Perhaps more impressive is the feat of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European __________________ Pi from memory to 22,514 digits in just over five hours. He also suffers from a condition in which he sees __________________. He says Pi is particularly beautiful. The worlds of science, engineering and mathematics would be __________________. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Pi Day is on March 14. This is the day when mathematicians and geometry __________ around the world get together and celebrate the mathematical __________ of Pi. There are two good __________ to hold Pi Day on March 14. The first is that in the American date format, it is 3/14 and Pi, to two __________ places, is 3.14. The other reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he knew a thing or __________ about numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum staff walked around the __________ spaces in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very __________ to do with Pi, unless you want to calculate the circumference of your fruity __________.
circular constant decimal treat enthusiasts two little reasons
Pi is a letter of the Greek alphabet. The __________ was first used in mathematical calculations in 1737 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used for the __________ of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion __________. It has countless numbers of digits. Perhaps more impressive is the __________ of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European record for __________ Pi from memory to 22,514 digits in just over five hours. He also __________ from a condition in which he sees numbers as colours. He says Pi is __________ beautiful. The worlds of science, engineering and mathematics would be __________ without it. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
particularly digits reciting symbol lost feat suffers ratio
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Pi Day is on March 14. This is the day when mathematicians and geometry enthusiasm / enthusiasts around the world get together and celebrate the mathematical constant of Pi. There are two well / good reasons to hold Pi Day on March 14. The first is that in the American date / dating format, it is 3/14 and Pi, to two decimal places, is 3.14. The other reasons / reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he knew a thing or two / things about numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum stuff / staff walked around the circular spaces in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very lot / little to do with Pi, unless you want to calculation / calculate the circumference of your fruity treat.
Pi is a letter of the Greek alphabet / alphabets. The symbol was first used in mathematical calculations in 1737 by the Swiss mathematics / mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used for the ratio of the circumference of a round / circle to its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion digits. It has countless / counts numbers of digits. Perhaps more impressive is the feat / feet of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European record for reciting Pi from memory to 22,514 digital / digits in just over five hours. He also suffers from a condition in which he sees numbers as colours. He says Pi is particular / particularly beautiful. The worlds of science, engineering and mathematics would be lost / loser without it. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Pi Day is on March 14. This is the (1) ____ when mathematicians and geometry enthusiasts around the world get together and celebrate the mathematical constant of Pi. There are two good (2) ____ to hold Pi Day on March 14. The first is that in the American date format, it is 3/14 and Pi, to two (3) ____ places, is 3.14. The other reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he knew a thing or (4) ____ about numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum staff walked around the (5) ____ spaces in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very little to do with Pi, unless you want to calculate the circumference of your fruity (6) ____.
Pi is a letter of the Greek alphabet. The (7) ____ was first used in mathematical calculations in 1737 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used for the ratio of the circumference of a (8) ____ to its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion digits. It has countless numbers of (9) ____. Perhaps more impressive is the feat of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European record for reciting Pi from memory to 22,514 digits in just over five hours. He also (10) ____ from a condition in which he sees numbers as colours. He says Pi is particularly beautiful. The (11) ____ of science, engineering and mathematics would be lost without (12) ____. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
daily
(b)
daytime
(c)
day
(d)
days
2.
(a)
reasonable
(b)
reasoning
(c)
reasons
(d)
reason
3.
(a)
decimal
(b)
dual
(c)
digital
(d)
decibel
4.
(a)
duo
(b)
pair
(c)
twice
(d)
two
5.
(a)
circling
(b)
circular
(c)
circles
(d)
circulate
6.
(a)
treat
(b)
threat
(c)
teat
(d)
tweet
7.
(a)
symbolic
(b)
symbol
(c)
symbolize
(d)
symbolism
8.
(a)
circular
(b)
circled
(c)
circle
(d)
circus
9.
(a)
digital
(b)
dig it
(c)
digit
(d)
digits
10.
(a)
suffering
(b)
suffers
(c)
suffered
(d)
suffers
11.
(a)
worlds
(b)
planets
(c)
globes
(d)
stars
12.
(a)
them
(b)
him
(c)
these
(d)
it
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
get erhogtte
2.
two good rsoasen
3.
American date ofmrat
4.
about esunrmb
5.
walked around the iurcaclr spaces
6.
lauectcla the circumference
Paragraph 2
7.
The osmybl was first used
8.
the oiatr of the circumference
9.
one trillion itdgsi
10.
the European redroc
11.
he sees nsmuebr as colours
12.
eincsec, engineering and mathematics
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
together and celebrate the mathematical constant of Pi. There are two good reasons to hold Pi Day
( )
mathematics would be lost without it. Celebrate today with your favourite pie!
( )
the circular spaces in the building eating fruit pies. Cherry and apple pies have very little to do with
( )
its diameter. Computers have calculated Pi to over one trillion digits. It has countless numbers of
( )
reason is that March 14 is Albert Einstein’s birthday, and he knew a thing or two about
( )
digits. Perhaps more impressive is the feat of British autism sufferer Daniel Tammet. He holds the European
( )
on March 14. The first is that in the American date format, it is 3/14 and Pi, to two decimal places, is 3.14. The other
( )
record for reciting Pi from memory to 22,514 digits in just over five hours. He also suffers from a condition in which he sees
( )
Pi, unless you want to calculate the circumference of your fruity treat.
( 1 )
Pi Day is on March 14. This is the day when mathematicians and geometry enthusiasts around the world get
( )
numbers. Pi Day started in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The museum staff walked around
( )
numbers as colours. He says Pi is particularly beautiful. The worlds of science, engineering and
( )
Pi is a letter of the Greek alphabet. The symbol was first used in mathematical calculations
( )
in 1737 by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is used for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
the get geometry around world together enthusiasts
2.
14 March on Day Pi hold to reasons good two are There
3.
numbers about two or thing a knew he
4.
walked staff museum The spaces circular the around
5.
to pies do have with very Pi little apple
6.
letter a is Pi alphabet Greek the of
7.
digits to Computers over have one calculated trillion Pi
8.
numbers countless has It digits of
9.
22,514 Pi from memory digits to reciting
10.
your with today Celebrate pie favourite
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Pi Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Pi Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Pi Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
