Pi (also written: π) is an irrational number. It’s used for calculating the measurement around a circle, the edge of a circle never ends, and neither do the digits after the decimal in Pi. Because of this, memorization contests are fairly popular — particularly on March 14th (3/14), which is affectionately referred to as Pi Day by Mathletes everywhere.
How is it exactly that some people seem to be able to memorize so many digits?
There is a two-part systems that many numerophiles turn towards in order to memorize so many numbers.
Part 1: The system
A system is created that assigns certain letters to numbers so that words can be created from the letters. Typically this would be grouped into 3 or 4 numbers at a time, for example if the numbers were [3.141592653] you would omit the 3 and the decimal, and that would leave you with 141 and 592 and 653. Maybe your code turns it into “tft”, “spn” and “chsm”, you can turn those into words like “tuft“, “spinach”, and “chasm” to create a visual story using part 2.
Part 2: The Memory Palace
This part involves choosing a place you are familiar with, in which you feel calm, this will be your “Memory Palace”. Using your words, walk around the room or the area, using our words from part 1 you will create a visual story. “A Tuft of Spinach fell down the Chasm” while imagining yourself walking around the chosen “Memory Palace” and visualizing a literal piece of spinach falling through a crack in the floor.
Continue this pattern for as many numbers as you can and translate those visuals when reciting the digits of Pi. Experiment with different codes, different rooms in your mind and different words until you come up with a method that works for you.
Happy Pi Day!