3.14: Happy π (Pi) day!

Acknowledging Pi Day is a new tradition on all that is gold.  Though admittedly, when somebody asked me during an exam today what day it was, I couldn't remember if it was the 14th or 15th (the Ides of March). I had been sure it was Pi Day, but characteristically, I was not sure the moment somebody suggested a shadow of doubt.  Flashes of photographic memory told me March 11 was printed on the church bulletin, so I decided (correctly) it really must be the 14th.

I don't know how normal people celebrate Pi Day, but a glance at the unit circle (oh, bane of Precalculus students!) seems appropriate.

credit: Gustavb

Student's Application of the Unit Circle:

1. Attempts to learn the reasoning behind the madness. 
2. Is 80% successful with the help of a patient teacher/tutor/parent/superhero.
3. Memorizes Unit Circle, after much Trial and Error.
4. Attempts to remember the reasoning.  Unsuccessful.
5. Headdesk.
6. Forgets everything on the Unit Circle.
7. Learns s/he can do pretty well if s/he only memorizes Quadrant I. 
8. Goes back to using addition and subtraction to find other angle measures...in much secrecy and shame.

In retrospect, methinks the best thing you can do is simply memorize the Unit Circle and don't bother to remember the "why's", or else you'll start thinking of the Unit Circle as an actual graph of a function with a triangle spinning around and around inside of it with tangent and sine and cosine playing hopscotch in your head.  Just focus on memorization, keep things nice and simple.  (Note: this is unofficial advice).

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It's π day

And I had two math tests.  :P

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