APS: the beauty of Pi
Over the last few days, I’ve had to hop between hotels. The process has left me confused about my constantly-changing room number. But I'm not the only one struggling to keep track.
After a session here at the APS, I met a similarly bewildered scientist. He was flitting between some of the many parallel sessions in the convention centre, and couldn't remember which room he was meant to be in next. Then he cried, “ah, but of course, it was room 314. I won’t forget that, it’s Pi.”
Pi, of course, is the ratio of a circles’ circumference to its diameter (and it begins 3.14159 26535 8979). Such are the advantages of being into mathematics… Unfortunately, I haven't been able to think of any fundamental constants that start 409.
Comments
How appropriate, for of course today is Pi Day:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day
Posted by: Alex Witze | March 14, 2006 09:01 PM
I know of a couple of asteroid researchers who, at conventions and meetings, refer to their hotel rooms by the name of the asteroid that bears that number; thus if Al is in room 1620, he'll tell Ed that he's in Geographos. This code is not just geeky one upmanship; it means that they can tell those in the know which room the wine tastings they tend to organise might be in without alerting all and sundry.
Posted by: Oliver | March 15, 2006 11:37 AM
If you are my age, you'll remember the song, "She's real fine, my 409".
Posted by: Irl Smith | March 15, 2006 01:18 PM