The purpose of this blog is to give everyone with an interest the opportunity to memorize as many digits of Pi as they want.
Pi is the number that everyone knows a few digits of: 3.14. But with my help and the help of the blogger community you will know Pi to thousands of digits. You will be able to participate in the process as well.
Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to it's diameter. So, if a circle's diameter is 1, its circumference is 3.1415... I'll leave that to 4 decimal places, because you will have the opportunity to learn as many as you want soon enough.
To give you the tools to memorize Pi the way I do, I will teach you a memory technique (a mnemonic). It is called the Major System.
Here's how the Major System works. Every number from 0-9 is assigned a phonetic sound. That's it; but it's the simplicity of the system that makes it so powerful.
Here is the phonetic scheme that I use.
0: s or z
1: t,d
2: n
3: m
4: r
5: L
6: j,sh,ch
7: k,g
8: f,v
9: p,b
Note: This is a phonetic scheme, NOT a spelling scheme. When words are made to memorize numbers, how it sounds out loud or in your head is of the utmost importance. What it looks like on paper is of very little importance.
Here's the power of the system by example. Take a number that you use on a regular basis that if you forgot would be a detriment, say like your zip code. Memorizing a small group of numbers isn't all that difficult, but memorizing a large group of numbers is. However, memorizing just a few words is easier than memorizing any group of numbers. This is because we are exposed to words much more than we are to numbers. Words produce a picture in our heads, where numbers really don't.
So, back to our example. The zip code. Let's say that your zip code is 13740. I have no doubt that with a little time you could memorize this set of 5 numbers; but for how long? I will wager to say that you couldn't memorize it as long as you could the phrase, "Tom Cruise."
Take a little time and see how "Tom Cruise" is Major for 13740.
If you need a little help, remember: phonetic, not spelling.
Let's break it down.
1: t
3: m
7: k
4: r
0: s
The only number in this example that is phonetic and not spelling is the 7. Cruise is spelled with a C, but when pronounced it sounds like a 'k'.
Are you starting to see the beauty and power of this system? I hope so.
Now to the heart of the matter.
I've memorized close to 1000 digits of Pi by using the Major System. I've only stopped there, because I wanted to. I could go on and on and on, namely, because Pi as a number is infinitely long.
I have about 50 sentences that I've memorized to know Pi to approximately 1000 digits. I don't intend to give you my list of sentences. Instead, as a Blogger Project, I want us as a community to come up with enough sentences and short phrases to memorize 10,000 digits of Pi.
I'll give you an example of what a Pi Sentence looks like.
The first 24 digits of Pi, more than you would ever need to use can be memorized with the following sentence: My turtle Pancho will my love pick up my new mover Ginger.
That is an oft used sentence, and not one of mine. Before looking at the numbers below, try to figure out for yourself what numbers that sentence represents. Write them down on a piece of paper.
Ok, you can check your work against this: 3.14159265358979323846264.
So, here is a synopsis of the Blogger Project. I will give you as a community a list of the next 50 numbers of Pi that haven't been assigned by a Pi Sentence. You will take those numbers and create a Pi Sentence using as many of the numbers in sequential order as you can. The Pi Sentences need to be memorable and creative. Humor is a plus. Something that you know that people can remember. Give me your Pi Sentence(s) as a comment. Each few days I will pick the ones that I believe are the best and add it to our running list.
The goal is 10,000 digits. It is a pretty hefty goal, but with everyone working together, I think that it is an obtainable goal. I have found that most Pi Sentences represent between 15-25 numbers, for a rough average of about 20 numbers per sentence. So, we will need about 500 sentences to memorize 10,000 digits of Pi.
To me, the real fun will be coming up with the sentences. You can do that without ever memorizing a single number. However, the ultimate reward is knowing something as impressive as 10,000 digits of Pi with only minimal effort.
Here are the first fifty digits:
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510 (This is actually 51 digits, but only 50 after the decimal.)
Good luck and have fun.
