Why July 22 is Called "Pi Approximation Day

Beginning — An Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Thought

It was a July afternoon. A cool breeze was blowing from the air conditioner in the school library. Arsalan was sitting at a corner desk, math books, a calculator, and a pencil in front of him. Exams were approaching and he was trying to solve geometry questions.

But suddenly a question began to echo in his mind:

"Why is this pi (π) everywhere?"

He was writing down the formula for the circumference of a circle when he thought, "Where did this 3.14159… come from? And why do people give it such importance?"

Sir Naeem's Entry — Answer to Curiosity

Meanwhile, the librarian, whom everyone affectionately called "Sir Naeem", passed by. He saw Arsalan's thoughtful expression and, smiling, came and sat down next to him.

"What's wrong, son? Why are you so lost?" Sir Naeem asked.

Arsalan replied hesitantly, "Sir, I was wondering why Pi is so special? And is there a special day for it?"

Sir Naeem's eyes sparkled.

"Yes, son! July 22nd is celebrated as Pi Approximation Day all over the world. And there is an interesting reason behind this day."

The Secret of 22/7

Sir Naeem opened the book and wrote on a blank page:

22 ÷ 7 = 3.142857…

Then he said, “This number is very close to the original number of pi, 3.14159…. That is why July 22, i.e. 22/7, is called Pi Approximation Day.”

Arsalan immediately calculated it on his calculator and happily said,

“Wow! It is very close.”

The Truth About Pi

Sir Naeem explained,

“Pi is a non-terminating and non-repeating decimal number. Its value is revealed when we divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter. Pi is not only for mathematics students, but engineers, architects, scientists, and even artists also benefit from it.”

He added, “Be it the design of any round object, the measurement of the curved structure of a bridge, or even the travel of a clock hand — pi is everywhere.”

Ancient Stories — The Journey of Pi

Arsalan was listening intently as Sir Naeem said,

“Pi has a history that goes back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians had also estimated pi, but the formula of 22/7 was made famous by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes. He calculated the perimeter by drawing polygons inside and outside a circle, and thus got the best estimate of 22/7.”

Arsalan was amazed that a simple number had such a long history.

Example of a pizza

Sir Naeem said to make the matter more interesting,

"Suppose you are making a pizza with a diameter of 14 inches. To find its perimeter, you use the formula: diameter × pi.

That is, 14 × 22/7 ≈ 44 inches."

Arsalan laughed and said, "Sir, with this calculation, I can plan more of the pizza!"

They both laughed, and the atmosphere became more friendly.

Two days — one purpose

Sir Naeem said that there are two famous days for pi:

Pi Day — March 14 (3/14) because in the American format, the date corresponds to the first three decimal digits of pi.

Pi Approximation Day — July 22 (22/7), which is the best practical approximation of pi.

Arsalan was amused to hear that there are "parties" in mathematics too.

The light of curiosity

After that day, Arsalan's attitude changed Now he was not just memorizing formulas, but became interested in knowing their story and logic. He went home and looked up more information about pi on the Internet, its complexity, and the fact that no one knows the last digit of pi to this day.

He found that billions of digits have been extracted in pi, but the series never ends. And this is what makes pi unique.

Celebration at school

A few days later, Arslan gathered his friends and said,

"Let's all celebrate Pi Approximation Day on July 22!"

They decided that on that day they would play fun math games, solve circle puzzles, and eat pizza. Sir Naeem also promised to prepare a special quiz, which would have questions on the history of pi, its formula, and its uses.

The result — knowledge and fun

When July 22 came, a small celebration was held in the school library. Everyone ate pizza, answered questions, and had a great time. Arsalan realized that the greatest joy of knowledge is when you share it with others.

He now believed that mathematics is not just a game of numbers and formulas, but a magical way to understand the world. And July 22 is a reminder that sometimes even an approximation can be as beautiful as the real thing.

History