Recognizing Pi Day
Floor Speech
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Mr. FOSTER. Mr Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate March 14, 3.14, or Pi day. Pi is a Greek letter, and in mathematics it is a symbol for the number you always get when you divide a circle's circumference by its diameter. Many people approximate pi as 3.14 or 3.14159.
But the number is irrational and will continue infinitely without repeating. If you were to try to write down the exact number for pi, there would be infinite numbers to the right of the decimal point and there would be no pattern. This means we're down to a mere infinity digits yet to be found. To date, it has been calculated to over 202 trillion digits. But there is still new math to be discovered. And mathematics is critical to everything we do. It's the language of science, engineering, and technology. So, today, don't be rational. Be irrational and celebrate Pi Day.
This celebration is not only about the number itself, but also about what this day can represent for our country. One of the most important investments that we can make is getting students interested in STEM subjects--science, technology, engineering, and math. Since World War II, over half of U.S. economic growth has been driven by science and technology, and through the end of the decade, the growth rate of STEM employment is expected to be more than double the growth rate of non- STEM employment.
However, we do not have enough students graduating from high school and college with necessary skills in the STEM fields to fill these jobs. As times change and we move into a more STEM-based economy, it is important that our students get the education and training they will need to succeed.
This is why recognizing March 14 as Pi Day is important. It shows the fun and exciting side to math and other STEM subjects, and will hopefully lead to a crop of students developing an interest in becoming the next generation's mathematicians, engineers, and physicists.
I am planning to reintroduce a resolution to support designating March 14 as National Pi Day. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this day and supporting our future scientists for generations to come.
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