PiPHILOLOGY

B. The long text version is available via e-mail:

C. The short text version is

(Subjects:
                PP-20s-1.txt
                PP-20s-2.txt
                PP-20s-3.txt )

D. Via e-mail mailto:[email protected]

GENERAL:

TEXTS:

ASCII characters only; no use of diacritical marks (accents etc.)

USED SYMBOLS:

[+] : for truncated pi (e.g.: 3.141592.... = 3.141593)

(xx) : count as one letter

(pi) = the Greek letter pi (counts as one letter)

{d} = missing digit (ie. for that digit there is no word in pi mnemonic)

{0<->10} : for the digit 0 stands a >=10-letter word.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

I would like to thank all who have contriputed to this collection. (A detailed name list can be found in the mac version)

COPYRIGHT:

(c) 1996 Antreas P. Hatzipolakis
Freeware.
Restrictions: unmodified in any way; for any non-profit use.

REFERENCES:

Beckmann = Beckmann, Petr : The History of Pi. St. Martin's Press.
New York, 1971.
Gardner = Gardner, Martin : Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions.
Penguin Books
Moritz =  Moritz, Robert Eduard : Memorabilia Mathematica.
The Philomath's Quotation Book. The MAA. Printed in the USA [1993]
(1st. ed. 1914)

CHANGES

(since v. 1.0):

Additions:

Type I: Breton, German#2X,3V,4, Irish, Italian#2,Portuguese#4,5, Russian#5 Type III : German

Deletions:

Some contributions (variants and multiple translations) deleted. (*All* can be found in the detailed Mac version).

                                      ALBANIAN
Text:
Kur e shoh e mesoj sigurisht.

Translation:
When I see it, I memorize it for sure.

From:
Robert Nesimi 


                                       BRETON
Text:
Piv a zebr a-walc'h dimerc'her
Ne lavaro netra, tud Breizh!
(by Leslie Sitek)

Translations (English - French):
Who eats  enough wednesday?
she will say nothing, people from Brittany!
---------
Qui mange assez le mercredi?
Elle ne dira rien, gens de Bretagne!

From:
Leslie Sitek 


                                       BULGARIAN
Text:
kak e leko i bqrzo iz(ch)isleno pi kogato znae(sh)  kak.
From:
Dragomir R. Radev 

Translation:
How is easy and fast computed  Pi when (you) know how.
From:
Daniel Nikovski 


                                       CATALAN
Text:
Ell i ella, l'unica esperanca de tindre fills que tenen,
romandra soterrada aquesta primavera.
(by Vicent Tarrazona i Rubio)

Translation*:
Him and her, the last oportunity that they have to have
(I don't know if this is correct) children will be XXXX (1) this XXXX (2)
(1) I don't know the correct translation of something that firstly you can
see it
but after it you can't see it. Or something forgive.
(2) The station of the year that takes february, march , april and may
From:
Vicent Tarrazona i Rubio 

*Igor Markov's Note:
The whole thing should read (if you don't mind "smoothening"):
Him and her, their last hope for having children may turn into a mirage
this spring.


                                       CORNISH
Text:
Yma'n scol a-gleth, kendyrewy, ha ottoma eglos, ryp carjy dyscajor.
(by Leslie Sitek)

Translation:
The school is on the lefthand, cousins, and this is the church near
the garage of the teacher.

From:
Leslie Sitek 


                                       CZECH
                                         1
Text:
                       Lin a kapr u hraze
                       Prohledli si rybare
                       Udici mel novou
                       jikrnaci neuplovou
Translation:
                       Tench and carp by the dam
                       had a look at fisherman
                       His rod and line was brand new
                       Spawners won't swim away
From:
Jan Burle 

                                         2
Text:
Jak a rada a prnda vozzralka ja byvala kazdy den vecer soustala ...
From:
J. Hajek 

Translation:
How glad and 'prnda' drunk I used to be every night diging with you.
(prnda = female untrans. slang)
From:
Martin Dobrucky 


                                       DUTCH
                                         1
Text:
Eva o lief, o zoete hartedief uw blauwe oogen zyn wreed bedrogen.

Translation (word-by-word):
Eve, oh love, oh sweet darling your blue eyes are cruelly deceived.

From:
J.W.J. Heijnsdijk 

                                         2
Text:
                      Wie U kent, o getal, belangrijk en gepast,
                      leert ook andre waarhean ankervast.

Translation:
                      Who of you knows, o number, important and just,
                      also learns other truths anchored fast.
From:
W.L. van der Poel 

                                         3
Text:
                      Wie U eens (pi) heeft verzonnen,
                      in aloude tijden,
                      was nooit gebonnen,
                      inderdaad spoedig geaindigd,
                      als hij had voorzien,
                      welk gezeur de cijfers bian.
Translation:
                      Who of you once (pi) has thought up
                      in very old times,
                      never had begun	[Dutch spelling error "begonnen"]
                      indeed soon had ended
                      if he had foreseen
                      which trouble the cyphers (digits) offer.
From:
W.L. van der Poel 

                                         4
Text:
                      Ook u kunt u zeker vergissen;
                      Uw zwakke brein kan altijd verkeerd beslissen.
Translation:
                      Certainly also you can be wrong;
                      Your weaker brain can always decide wrong.
From:
Leslie Sitek 

                                         5
Text:
K(ij)k, 't moet u zeker verheugen te kunnen geven dit getal.

Translation:
Look, I should please you, to be able to give you this number.

From:
Leslie Sitek 


                                       ENGLISH
                                         1
Text:
Yes, I have a number. [+]

From:
Simon Plouffe 

                                         2
Text:
How I wish I
Could calculate pie. [+]

Source:

http://www.el.net/~sbull/ssgi/tips.html

                                         3
Text:
May I have a large container of coffee?

Sources:
Gardner, p. 92

http://www.afn.org/~vaxu/Stuff/Humor/mnemonic.txt

                                         4
Text:
See, I have a rhyme assisting
my feeble brain,
its tasks oft-times resisting.

Source:
 target="_parent">
http://www.afn.org/~vaxu/Stuff/Humor/mnemonic.txt

                                         5
Text:
                      How I wish I could recollect of circle round
                      The exact relation Archimede unwound.
Source:
 target="_parent">
http://meta2.stanford.edu/~geddis/funny/quotes/sayings.vol-6

                                         6
Text:
How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters
involving quantum mechanics.
(by  Sir James Jeans)

Source:
Gardner, p. 92

                                         6X-a
Text:
How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures
involving quantum mechanics.
All of thy geometry, Herr Planck, is fairly hard...

Source:

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Pi_through_the_ages.html

                                         6X-b
Text:
How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters
involving quantum mechanics.
One is, yes, adequate even enough to produce some fun and pleasure
for an instant, miserably brief.

Source:
 target="_parent">
http://www.afn.org/~vaxu/Stuff/Humor/mnemonic.txt

                                         6X-c
Text: [167 digits]
How I need a drink, alcoholic of course, after the tough lectures
involving quantum mechanics, but we did estimate some digits by
making very bad, not accurate, but so greatly efficient tools!  *
By dropping valuable wood, a dedicated student -- I, Volokh, Alexander,
can determine beautiful and curious stuff, O! *
Smart, gorgeous me! *
Descartes himself knew wonderful ways that could ascertain it too! *
Revered, glorious -- a wicked dude! *
Behold an unending number -- pi! *
Thinkers' ceaseless agonizing produces little, if anything.*
For this constant, it stops not -- just as e, I suppose.*
Vainly ancient geometers computed it -- a task undoable.*
Legendre, Adrien Marie: "I say pi rational is not!" *
Adrien proved this theorem. *
Therefore, the doubters have made errors.*
(Everybody that's Greek.) *
Today, counting is as bad a problem as years ago, maybe centuries even. *
Moreover, I do consider that variable x, y, z, wouldn't much avail. *
Pi, imaginary, like i? *
No, buffoon! *

(Note: Insert a 0 after the end [*] of each sentence.)
by Alexander "Sasha" Volokh, David Tazartes, Steve LaCombe

Sources:

http://www.mathpro.com:80/math/archive/iams/vol10.ascii
 target="_parent">
http://sashimi.wwa.com/~stan/archive/iams/vol10.ascii

                                         7
Text:
                      Now I wish I could recollect pi.
                      Eureka cried the great inventor.
                      Christmas Pudding Christmas Pie
                      Is the problem's very center.

From:
Russ Brown 

                                         8
Text:
                      Sir, I send a rhyme excelling
                      In sacred truth and rigid spelling
                      Numerical sprites elucidate
                      For me the lexicon's dull weight.

Source:
 target="_parent">
http://www.webcom.com:80/~geomanda/mnemonics.html

                                         8V
Text:
                      Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
                      In mystic force and magic spelling;
                      Celestial sprites elucidate
                      All my own striving can't relate.

From: [email protected]
Joachim Verhagen  : Science Jokes

                                         8X-a
Text:
                      Sir, I send a rhyme excelling
                      In sacred truth and rigid spelling
                      Numerical sprites elucidate
                      for me the lexicon's full weight.
                      If nature gain, who can complain
                      tho' Doc Johnson fulminate.

From: Stephan Meyers 
Joachim Verhagen  : Science Jokes

                                         8X-b
Text:
                      Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
                      In mystic force and magic spelling
                      Celestial sprites elucidate
                      All my own striving can't relate.
                      Or locate they who can cogitate
                      And so finally terminate. Finis.

From: [email protected]

http://www.cs.caltech.edu/~adam/PUZZLES/pi_song

                                         9
Text:
                      But a time I spent wandering in bloomy night;
                      Yon tower, tinkling chimewise, loftily opportune.
                      Out, up, and together came sudden to Sunday rite,
                      The one solemnly off to correct plenilune.
(by Joseph Shipley,1960)

Source:

http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/mikerav.htm

                                         10
Text:
                      Now I will a rhyme construct
                      By chosen words the young instruct
                      Cunningly devised endeavour
                      Con it and remember ever
                      Widths in circle, here you see
                      Stretch'd out in strange obscurity.

From:
Darren Rigby ([email protected])

                                         11
Text:
                      Now I, even I, would celebrate
                      In rhymes inapt, the great
                      Immortal Syracusan, rivaled nevermore,
                      Who in his wondrous lore,
                      Passed on before,
                      Left men his guidance
                      How to circles mensurate.
(by Adam C. Orr  In: Literary Digest, vol. 32 (1906), p. 84)

Sources:
Moritz, p. 373, #2127
Gardner, p. 93 : inapt -> unapt; Read rivaled instead of rivalled

                                         12
Text: [402 first digits]

For a time I stood pondering on circle sizes. ........ THE END.
(by Michael Keith ([email protected]))

Sources:
Michael Keith, Circle Digits : A Self-Referential Story.
Mathematical Intelligencer, vol.8 (1986), no.3, pp. 56-57


 target="_parent">
http://anxiety-closet.mit.edu:8001/people/jsm/Humor/pimnemonic


                                         13
Text: [first 740 digits]

Poe, E.
Near A Raven
(...)
-- Original: E. Poe
-- Redone by measuring circles.
(by Mike Keith ([email protected]))

Source:

http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/mikerav.htm
(Problem?  e-mail me for a text copy.)

                                         14
                                    (Special type)
From:[email protected] (S6sj7gt)
Date:21 Jan 1996 01:37:58 -0500
Subject:alt.Poe.versifications.experimentalize!.AANVVVize!.do!
Newsgroups:alt.adjective.noun.verb.verb.verb

(by Mike Keith ([email protected]))

Source:

http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/mikeaan.htm
(Problem?  e-mail me for a text copy.)


                                       FRENCH
                                         1
Text:
                      Que j'aime a faire apprendre un nombre utile aux sages !
                      Immortel Archimede, artiste, ingenieur,
                      Qui de ton jugement peut priser la valeur ?
                      Pour moi, ton probleme eut de pareils avantages.

Source:
Beckmann, p. 108

Translation:
                      How I like to make known a number useful to wizards!
                      Immortal Archimedes, artist, engineer,
                      Who can estimate the value of your judgment?
                      For me, your problem had similar advantages.
From:
Lew Dion ([email protected])

                                         1X
Text:
                  1.  Que j'aime a faire apprendre un nombre utile aux sages.
                  2.  Glorieux Archimede, artiste ingenieux !
                  3.  Toi, de qui Syracuse, aime encore la gloire,
                  4.  Soit ton nom conserve par de savants grimoires.
                  5.  Jadis, mysterieux, un probleme existait.
                  6.  Tout l'admirable procede (l'oeuvre etonnante !)
                  7.  Que Pythagore decouvrit aux anciens Grecs :
                  8.  O quadrature ! Vieux tourment du philosophe !
Sibylline rondeur!
                  9.  Trop longtemps vous avez defie Pythagore et ses
imitateurs !
                 10.  Comment integrer l'espace plan circulaire ?
                 11.  Thales tu tomberas ! Platon tu desesperes !
                 12.  Apparait Archimede :
                 13.  Archimede inscrira dedans un hexagone :
                 14.  Appreciera son aire fonction du rayon ;
                 15.  Pas trop ne s'y tiendra !
                 16.  Dedoublera chaque element anterieur,
                 17.  Toujours de l'orbe calculee approchera ;
                 18.  Laquelle limite donne l'arc,
                 19.  La longueur de cet inquietant cercle,
                 20.  Ennemi trop rebelle !
                 21.  Professeur, enseignez son probleme avec zele ...

You can change lines 11 et 12 to
                 11'. Former un triangle auquel il equivaudra ?
                 12'. Nouvelle invention :

and lines 18 and 19 to
                 18'. Definira limite ; enfin, l'arc,
                 19'. le limiteur de cet inquietant cercle

{0&<-&>10}

Translation:

                  1.  Oh do I like to teach a useful number to the wise men.
                  2.  Glorious Archimedes, ingenious artist !
                  3.  You, from Syracuse, still like the glory,
                  4.  Be your name preserved by erudite Wizard's almanacs .
                  5.  Once, mysterious, a problem existed.
                  6.  All the admirable process (the astonishing work !)
                  7.  That Pythagoras uncovered to the ancient Greeks :
                  8.  O quadrature ! Old torment of the philosopher!
Sibylline roundness!
                  9.  Too long you have challenged Pythagoras and his
imitators !
                 10.  How to integrate the flat circular space?
                 11.  Thales you will fall ! Plato you despair !
                 12.  Appears Archimedes :
                 13.  Archimedes will inscribe inside an hexagon :
                 14.  Will estimate its surface function of the radius ;
                 15.  Not too much will confine himself to it !
                 16.  Will split each previous element,
                 17.  Always of the calculated orb will approach ;
                 18.  Whose limit gives the arc.
                 19.  The length of this disquieting circle,
                 20.  Too rebellious enemy !
                 21.  Professor, teach his problem zealously...

                 11'. Form a triangle to which it will be equivalent ?
                 12'. New invention :

                 18'. Will define limit ; finally, the arc,
                 19'. The boundary of this disquieting circle,

From:
Daniel Kobler ([email protected])


                                       GERMAN
                                         1
Text:
Gib, o Gott, o Guter,
F(ae)higkeit zu lernen
einem, ach, armen Gejagten, Verzagten, Examina Ochsenden;
gib du ihm Verstand, auch Talent.

From:
Markus Alefeld ([email protected])

Translation:
Grant, o god, o gracious [god],
capacity for learning
to an, alas!, poor harassed [person], discouraged [one], exams swotting [one];
grant him intelligence, as well as talent.

From:
Otto Stolz ([email protected])

                                         2
Text:
Wie o! dies (pi)
macht ernstlich so vielen viele M(ue)h!
Lernt immerhin, J(ue)nglinge, leichte Verselein,
Wie so zum Beispiel dies d(ue)rfte zu merken sein!
(by  Weinmeister, 1878. In:
E. Beutel : Die Quadratur des Kreises. Tuebner, Leipzig 1951)

Translation:
How o this pi
gives so many people so much real trouble!
Learn after all, young mans, easy verses,
how such for instance this should be easy to keep in mind!

From:
Dr. Uwe Wuerker ([email protected])

                                         2X

Text:
There is an extension by H. Schnell (1911), viz.

Mache niemand so traurige Gedichte!
 5       0     2    8        8

Translation:
Nobody (= 0) shall concoct so sad poems!

Source:
Walter Lietzmann: "Lustiges und Merkwuerdiges von Zahlen und Formen", 8.,
durchgesehene Auflage, Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Goettingen (1955)

From:
Otto Stolz ([email protected])

Note:
Maybe the Scnell's extension contains one more line, since
pi = 3.14159265358979323846264 *3383279* 50288 ...........

                                         3
Text:
Dir, o Held, o alter Philosoph, du Riesen-Genie!
Wie viele Tausende bewundern Geister,
Himmlisch wie du und g(oe)ttlich! -
Noch reiner in Aeonen
Wird das uns strahlen,
Wie im lichten Morgenrot!
(In: E. Beutel : Die Quadratur des Kreises. Tuebner, Leipzig 1951)

Translation:
(To) You, o hero, o old philosopher, You great genius!
How many thousand (men) are admiring intellects,
celestial and divine like you!
Still more pure in ages
this will us shining,
like in bright dawn!

From:
Dr. Uwe Wuerker ([email protected])

                                         3V
Text:
Dir, o Held, o edler Philosoph,
du hehrer Geist, den viele Tausende bewundern!
Dauernd erstrahlt, was du uns beschert.
Noch klarer in Fernen wird das uns leuchten,
was du erdacht, Erzdenker,
stets unersch(oe)pft, du edelster Erfinder!
(by H. Schnell, 1911)
{0&<-&>10}

Translation:
To thee, o hero, o noble philosopher,
you august genius, whom many thousands admire!
What you have bestowed us with will outstand [verbatim: shine] forever.
What you have invented, archithinker,
will light us even more lucidly, a long way off,
ever inexhaustedly, you most noble inventor.

Source:
Walter Lietzmann: "Lustiges und Merkwuerdiges von Zahlen und Formen", 8.,
durchgesehene Auflage, Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Goettingen (1955)

From:
Otto Stolz ([email protected])

                                         4

Text:
                      Ein braver Schueler sass zu Haus vor seiner Rechenkladde
                      und ueberdacht' die Hausarbeit, die er zu machen hatte.
                      Dann fing er auch zu zeichnen an, und alles stimmt' genau,
                      bis er an eine Stelle kam, da wurd' die Sache mau.
                      Er dachte lange drueber nach, wo denn der Fehler waer',
                      und schliesslich fand er ihn denn auch, und voller
Wut rief er:
                     "Es ist wohl Pi die Groesse, die mir den Kram verdreht;
                      ist's doch, o jerum, schwierig, zu wissen, wof(ue)r
sie steht!"
                       3  1   4   1   5        9       2    6         5
3    5

Translation:
                      A well-behaved pupil sat at home facing his mathematics notebook
                      and pondered about the homework he had to do.
                      Then he also started drawing, and everything was
entirely correct --
                      until he came to a point where matters got worse.
                      He pondered long a time where the error could possibly be,
                      and eventually he found it, and in a rage he exclamied:
                     "Apparently, pi is the entity that puzzles matters for me,
                      well, it is, alas, difficult to know what it stands for!"


Source:
Walter Lietzmann: "Lustiges und Merkwuerdiges von Zahlen und Formen", 8.,
durchgesehene Auflage, Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Goettingen (1955)
Comment:
"Lietzmann reports that this poem has been written by a pupil, and that it
has been
published in "Zeitschrift fuer mathematischen und naturwissenschaftlichen
Unterricht",
in 1921."

From:
Otto Stolz ([email protected])


                                       GREEK
                                         1
Text:
{3} o pais o (ch)u(ch)lo peri(ph)oran pr gra(ph)on
{5} ou(ch) eu(th)us euporese diametron metroun.
Analogias gar en men eu(ph)orton (ch)ara,
a(ch)enia de mnesis alla nun e(ph)e,
"o(ch)e(ps)as(th)e pos me Knoxios paregorei".
(by Ronald Knox, _The Salopian_ in 1917. In: The Mathematical Magpie)

Note:
For Greek letters used : (ch) for chi, (e) for both epsillon and eta,
(ph) for phi, (o) for both omicron and omega, and (th) for theta.
From:
Christopher Jones ([email protected])

                                         2
Text:
               Aei o 9eos o Megas gewmetrei
               to kykloy mhkos ina orish diametrw
               parhgagen ari9mon aperanton
               kai on fey oydepote olon
               9nhtoi 9a eyrwsi.

(where: h = eta, 9 = theta, y = upsilon, w = omega)
(by Nikolaos I. Hatzidakis, 1924
In: Bulletin of the Greek Mathematical Society  5(1924))

Translation:
               Great God ever geometrizes
               To define the circle length by its diameter
               Produced an endless number
               Which whole, alas, mortals
               Will never find.
(by aph)


                                       HUNGARIAN
Text:
              Nem a regi s durva kozelites
              mi szotol szoig igy kijon
              betuiket szamlalva
              Ludolph eredmenye mar
              ha itt vegezzuk husz jegyen,
              de rendre kijo meg tiz pontosan
              azt is bizvast igerhetem.
(by Szasz Pal)

Translation:
              It's not the old approximation
              which we get
              counting the figures
              the result of Ludolph
              with 20 figures
              but we get 10 more precisely
              I can promise.
From:
Hadnagy Eva ([email protected])
Peter Laszlo ([email protected])


                                      IRISH

Text:
              Seo i(/) -- deis
              a rinne saineolai(/)
              o(/)n nGre(/)ig du(/)inn
              don obair ac(.)rannac(.).
              Arcaime(/)id iolda(/)na arde(/)irime,
              cru(/) na bua fi(/)ora(/)rsa,
              fear de(/)anta an re(/)itig(.)  g(.)lic.
              Fiu(/) ma(/)s anabarrac(.) mo(/)r,
              is re(/)iteac(.) fi(/)org(.)asta.

              (by Marion Gunn)

              Seo i -- deis
              a rinne saineolai
              on nGreig duinn
              don obair acrannac.
              Arcaimeid ioldana ardeirime,
              cru na bua fiorarsa,
              fear deanta an reitig glic.
              Fiu mas anabarrac mor,
              is reiteac fiorgasta.

Translation:
              Here it is -- a facility
              computed for us by a Greek
              scientist to do complicated work.
              Brilliant, multi-talented Archimedes,
              of truly ancient and victorious lineange,
              is the man who devised this cool formula.
              Even though it is very large, it is still
              a really neat computation!

From:
Marion GUNN ([email protected])


                                       ITALIAN
                                         1

Text:
Ave o Roma o Madre gagliarda di latine
virtu che tanto luminoso splendore
prodiga spargesti con la tua saggezza.

Source:

http://eulero.cineca.it/~barozzi/mathematica/listati/cap07.txt

Translation:
"Ave o Roma" (= Hello, Rome) strong mother of latine
virtue you gave generously out
the brightness of your wisdom.

From:
Patrizio Frosini ([email protected])

                                         2

Text:
Che  n' ebbe d' utile Archimede da ustori vetri sua somma scoperta ?

From:
Isidoro Ferrante ([email protected])

Translation:
What good came to Archimede from his immense discover of "ustori vetri"
(ustori vetri [ancient Italian] = specchi ustori = burning mirrors)

From:
Giuseppe Rodriguez ([email protected])


                                       LATIN

Text:
{3} I nunc, O Baili, Parnassum et desere rupem,
Dic sacra Peridium deteriora quadris!
Subsidium hoc ad vos, quamquam leve,
fertur ab hymnis quos dat vox Sophocli
(non in utroque probrumst?).

(by Ronald Knox, _The Salopian_ in 1917
In: The Mathematical Magpie)

Translation:
Go now, O Bailey, and forsake Parnassus' cliff;
say that the Muses' sacred rites are less important than squares!
"This help is bourne to you, although it is slight,
from the hymns which the voice of Sophocles gives
(is that not a reproach on both?)

From:
Christopher Jones ([email protected])


                                       NORWEGIAN

Text:
Tre i skog i Norge blomstrer av,
vinter komme,
den kulde avkjoler mennesket.

(by Petter Bjorstad)

Translation:
(The) tree in the forest of Norway looses its flowers,
the winter is coming,
its chill makes man cold.

From:
Petter Bjorstad ([email protected])


                                       POLISH
                                         1
Text:
Byl i jest i wieki chwalonym ow bedzie
ktory kol obwod srednica wymierzyl.

Translation:
There was, there is and there will be gloryfied  for centuries
the one who has measured the perimeter of a circle with diameter.

From:
Teresa Przytycka ([email protected])

                                         2

Text:
Kto z woli i mysli zapragnie
pi spisac cyfry - ten spisze. [+]

Translation:
One who will, out of his will and thought, take a desire to write down
the digits of pi - that will write them down.

From:
Pawel Miklaszewicz ([email protected])


                                         3
Text:
Kto w mgle i slote
wagarowac ma ochote,
chyba ten ktory
ogniscie zakochany,
odziany wytwornie,
gna do nog bogdanki
pasc kornie.

Translation:
Who likes to skip school on a rainy and misty day, perhpaps the one
who madly in love, smartly dressed, runs to fall humbly at the feet
of his loved one.

From:
Andrzej Pindor ([email protected])



                                         4
Texts:
                                a
Daj, o pani, o boska Mnemozyno, pi liczbe,
ktora tez zowia ponetnie ludolfina,
pamieci przekazac tak, by jej dowolnie
oraz szybko do pomocy uzyc,
gdy sie *zadania* nie da inaczej rozwiazac,
pauza - to zastapic liczbami.
(Note: zadania, wrong word)

                                b
Daj, o pani, o boska Mnemozyno, pi liczbe,
ktora tez zowia ponetnie ludolfina,
pamieci przekazac tak, by jej dowolnie
oraz szybko do pomocy uzyc,
gdy sie *zadania* nie da inaczej rozwiazac.
(by W. Rybczynski)
(Note: zadania, wrong word)

                                c
Daj o Pani, o boska Mnemozyno pi liczbe ktora
tez zowia nadobnie Ludolfina
pamieci przekazac.
                                d
Daj o pani, o boska Mnemozyno, pi liczbe ktora
nam zowia ponetnie Ludolfina

Translations:
                                d
Give, o lady, o godly Mnemosine Pi number that
is called for us temptily Ludolfine...

From:
                                a
Wieslaw A. Dudek ([email protected])
                                b
Lech Maligranda ([email protected])
                                c
K.Szajowski" ([email protected])
                                d
Marek Kirejczyk ([email protected])

                                         5
Texts:
                                a

Kuc i orac w dzien zawziecie,
bo plonow nie-ma bez trudu
zlocisty szczescia orkecie
kolyszesz...
Kuc. My nie czekajmy cudu
robota to potega ludu.
(by K. Cwojdzinski)
                                b
Kuc i orac w dzien zawziecie,
bo plonow niema bez trudu.
Zlocisty szczescia okrecie,
kolyszesz. Kuc, bo ..........

Translation:
                                b

Forge and plough in the daytime persistently,
because there is no crop without labour.
Golden ship of happiness,
you are rolling. Forge, because ........

From:
                                a
Lech Maligranda ([email protected])
                                b
Michal Misiurewicz ([email protected])
And (the first two verses only):
Marek Kirejczyk ([email protected])

                                         6
Text:
Oto i wiem i pomne doskonale.

Translation:
Here I both know and remember perfectly.

From:
Marek Kirejczyk ([email protected])


                                       PORTUGUESE
                                         1
Text:
Ate a nado a Maria encontrou na margem peixe bem lindo.

Translation:
Mary found beautiful fish on the seaside even swiming.

From:
Ernesto Martins ([email protected])

                                         2
Text:
Nos e todo o mundo guardamos pi usando letra por numero.[+]

Translation:
We and all the world remember PI by replacing letter with number.

From:
Benedicto V. da Silva ([email protected])

                                         3
Text:
Sim, e util e facil memorizar um numero grato aos sabios.

Translation:
Yes, it is useful and easy to memorize a number loved by the wise.

From:
Fernando Q. Gouvea ([email protected])

                                         4
Text:
Vai 'a aula o aluno apreender um numero usado nos arcos.

Translation:
Goes to the class the student to aprehend a number used in archs.

From:
Filipe Silva ([email protected])

                                         5
Text:
Sou o medo e temor constante do menino vadio.
From:
Marcos Dias de Moura ([email protected])

Translation:
I am the constant fear and terror of lazy boys.
From:
Fernando Q. Gouvea ([email protected])


                                       ROMANIAN
                                         1
Text:
Asa e bine a scrie renumitul si utilul numar.

Translation:
That's the way to write the famous and useful number.

From:
Eleodor Marian Nichita ([email protected])

                                         2

Text:
Dar e bine a vedea lucrurile de foarte multe ori.

Translation:
But it's good to observe at things many, many times.

From:
George M. Munteanu ([email protected])


                                       RUSSIAN
                                         1
Text:
(Ch)to (ya) zna(yu) o kruga(kh)? [+]

Translation:
What I know about circles?

From:
Yuri MATIYASEVICH ([email protected])

                                         2
Texts:
                                a
(E)to (ya) zna(yu) i pomn(nyu) prekrasno,
Pi mnogie znaki mne li(sh)ni, naprasny.
                                b
(Eh)to (ja) zna(ju) i pomn(ju) prekrasno,
no mnogie znaki mne li(sh)ni, naprasn(ih).
Translations:
                               a
I know and remember Pi excellently,
but many digits are not needed, not necessary for me.
                               b
I know and remember this excellently,
but many digits are not needed, not necessary for me.
From:
                               a
Yuri MATIYASEVICH ([email protected])
                               b
Stanislav Shalunov ([email protected])

                                        3
Text:
Kto i (sh)ut(ia) i skoro po(zh)elaet#
pi uznat# (ts)yfr# u(zh)# znaet.

Note:  # =   Russian letters


http://www.mathpro.com:80/math/archive/iams/vol10.ascii
 target="_parent">
http://sashimi.wwa.com/~stan/archive/iams/vol10.ascii

Translations:
                                a (word-by-word)
Who [] joking and quickly wishes  [of] Pi [to] learn [the] digits
already knows [them]
From: Igor Markov ([email protected])
                                b
Who in joyful and rapid manner wishes to know the Pi, already knows...
From: Sergei Yakovenko ([email protected])

                                c
Who and joking and fast wants pi learn digits already knows.
Meaning something like: If you want to learn the digits of pi, fun
and fast, you already know them.
From: Dimitri Tischenko ([email protected])

                                        3V
Text:
Kto i (sh)ut(ia) i skoro po(zh)elaet#
pi uznat#  (ch)islo u(zh)# znaet.
(Note:  # =   Russian letters)

Translation:
If one would like to know pi either for joke or seriously,
he already knows it.
From:
Eldar A. Musaev ([email protected])


                                         4
Text:
U(ch)i i znaj v (ch)isle izvestnom
za cifroj cifru bez o(sh)ibki.

Translations:
Learn and know in the famous number
Digit after digit without mistakes.
or : A digit after a digit without a mistake.

From:
Yury Mukharsky ([email protected])
Vladimir Smirnov ([email protected])

                                         5
Text:
  (Ch)to (ja) zna[ju] o (ch)isle iskussnom
   Na pam(ia)t(b) (ts)yfry ego zubr(ia),
   Retoriki starinnoj prizrak probu(zh)da(ja) ...
   (by Igor Markov)

Translation:
   What do I know about the artful number [by]
   Learning by heart its digits [and]
   wakening the ghost of the ancient rhetorics ?

From:
Igor Markov ([email protected])


                                       SLOVAK
                                         1
Text:
Daj o Boze o velky zapamatat
si takyto cisel rad	velky naspamat.

Translation (word-by-word):
[Please] Give oh Lord oh great [that I can] remember
myself such a [of] numbers row great by heart.

From:
Vladimir Benko ([email protected])

                                         2
Text:
Sam u seba v hlave , magickeho PI , cislic desat mam .

Translation:
Myself in myself in head, magic PI, digits ten have got.

From:
Martin Dobrucky ([email protected])


                                       SLOVENIAN
                                         1
Text:
Sem z ovco v hlevu.

Translation:
[I] am with [a] sheep in [a] barn.

From:
Marjeta Cedilnik ([email protected])

                                         2
Text:
Naj z rimo v pesmi pocastimo...

Translation:
Let's with rhyme in [this] poem praise...

From:
Marjeta Cedilnik ([email protected])


                                       SPANISH
                                         1
Text:
Con 1 palo y 5 ladrillos se pueden hacer mil cosas.

Translation:
With 1 stick and 5 bricks a thousand things can be made.

From:
Julio Zuniga ([email protected])

                                          2
Text:
Sol y Luna y Cielo proclaman al Divino Autor del Cosmo.

Translation:
Sun and Moon and Skies proclaim the Divine Author of the Universe.

From:
Julio Zuniga ([email protected])


                                       SWEDISH
                                         1

Text:
Hor I alla i kvall Arkimedes ju lovade komma
Han skall pitalets vanskliga siffror framlagga for Er
Dem forvisso ratt mangen ej minnes utan ett ode
Tjugotva giv at taljarn, namnarens varde noll sju. [+]
(by Gustaf Lindborg)
Note: noll (=zero) stands for the digit 0.

Translation:
Listen you all tonight Arkimedes promised to come
He will the pi numeber's the tricky digits produce for you
They are truly not remembered by most people without a poem
(the old Viking type)
Twentytwo give to the numerator, the denominator's value zero seven.

From:
Andrejs Dunkels ([email protected])

                                         1V

Text:
Hor, i alla i kvall Arkimedes ju lovade komma
han skall pitalets mystifika siffror klarlagga for er
dem forvisso ratt mangen ej minnes utan ett ode
tjugotva giv at taljarn namnarens varde noll sju. [+]

From:
Ingemar Nilsson  ([email protected])

                                          2
Text:
Ack, o fasa, (pi) numer forringas
ty skolan later var adept itvingas
raknelara medelst raknedosa
och sa ges tilltron till tabell en dyster kosa.
Nej, lat istdllet dem nu tokpoem bibringas!

Translation:
Oh no, pi is nowadays belittled
for the school makes each student learn
arithmetic with the help of calculators
and thus the tables have a sad future.
No, let us instead read silly poems!

From:
Frank Wikstrom ([email protected])

Pi MNEMONICS. II

Mnemonic Type: 3.14.. = Three (point) One Four... In CHINESE target="_parent"> http://www.ts.umu.se/~olletg/pi/hint.html In JAPANESE target="_parent"> http://www.ts.umu.se/~olletg/pi/jap.html In several LANGUAGES http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~eveander/beauty.html In ENGLISH Text: Three point one four one five nine, two six five three five eight nine, seven nine three two three eight four, six two six and a whole lot more. (by Rebecca Brannon; fits the tune of "America" from West Side Story) Source: target="_parent"> http://www.primus.com/staff/paulp/useless/pi.html JAPANESE 3. 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 5 3 5 8 9 7 9 3 2 san i shi i ko ku ni mu ko san go ya ku na ku san pu 3 8 4 6 2 6 4 3 3 8 3 2 7 9 . . . mi ya shi ro ni mu shi san zan ya mi ni na ku Translation: 3. 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 5 san i shi i ko ku ni mu ko ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ Obstetrician foreign country toward look (Obstetrician looks to a foreign country) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 5 8 9 7 9 san go ya ku na ku ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ postpartum drug unavailable ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 2 3 8 4 6 2 6 4 3 3 san pu mi ya shi ro ni mu shi san zan ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ pregnant woman all over insect awfully (lots of insects around) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8 3 2 7 9 . . . ya mi ni na ku . . . ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ dark in cry (she cries in the dark) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: [email protected] (Bun Bando) RUSSIAN Text: Chtoby nam ne oshibatsa, Nado pravilno prochest: Tri,chetyrnadcat, p'atnadcat, Devanosto dva i shest. Translation: To avoid mistakes We should read it rightly: Three, forteen, fifteen, Ninety two and six. From: Timur Kadyshev ([email protected])

Pi MNEMONICS. III

Other Types INDIAN http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~krisna/misc/pi.html CHINESE 1 (...) >>-- >>There is a chinese poem which can lead man to memorize pi = 3.1415926535897932384262, it uses the chinese pronounciation, but it is difficult to translate it into English >>Li Jinming (...) The poem discribe the fowllowing Situation: There are a little mond and an old mond in a temple located in a mountain. The old mond drink wine, but the little mond must work hard. So the little mond is unhappy and read the poem: There is a temple in the mountain There is a pot of wine in the temple. You are happy with your wine drinking. But I am suffering from the hard work. You drink the wine, but I hope the wine drinking can kill you. In practice this can't kill you, So you are happy always . The poem which the little mond read is just pi = 3.1415926535897932384262 according the chinese pronunciation. It doesn't work like the english one, because the pronunciation of this poem is just like the pronunciation of pi = 3.1415926535897932384262 From: Li Jinming ([email protected]) 2 (...) Sixteen years ago, when I was in my middle school, my teacher told us one. It uses one Chinese character for one digit. Though the sounds are not very precise, it helped me to remember 23 digits of pi until now. This one may be very popular in China since I once saw it appeared in a school's exercise book. San(mountain) dian(peak) yi(one) si(temple) yi(one) hu(pot) jiu(wine), 3 . 1 4 1 5(1) 9 Er(you) le(happy), wu(I) sha(killed) wu(me), 2 6(2) 5 3(3) 5 Ba(have) jiu(wine) qi(drink), jiu(wine) sha(kill) er(you), 8 9 7 9 3(3) 2 Sha(kill) bu(not) si(death), le(happy) er(and) le(happy). 3(3) 8 4 6(2) 2 6(2) (1) In Chinese, '5' should be pronounced as 'wu' instead of 'hu', (2) '6' should be pronounced as 'liu' or 'lu' instead of 'le', (3) '3' is normally pronounced as 'san', but sometimes 'sha', too. Hope this is meaningful. From: Wang TianXing ([email protected]) CZECH Motor, tesak, nebo smes haku v kamenem hrobe, nebo etc. etc. 3 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 53 5 8 9 7 9 3 2 3 84 6 2 6 Consonants are assigned values: m=3 t=1 r=4 s=5 etc., (...) (motor, knife, or a mix of hooks in the stone tomb, or ....) From: Paul J. Kriha ([email protected]) ENGLISH it is convenient to associate each number with a picture. For example, 1 is a policeman ( notice the hat) 2 is a swan 3 is a butterfly 4 is a young girl (Notice the hands on the hips) 5 is a snake 6 is a man with a swollen foot 7 is a walking stick 8 is a fat woman 9 is an elephant ( notice the loop in the ear) 0 is an egg. You can then make up a story in order to remember your numbers. Here is my one for Pi: I begin with 3.14 (because everyone knows that). The next number is 1, then 5 .... So, a policeman (1) eats a pie ( connection to the constant) WHO IS EATEN BY A snake (5) who turns into an elephant (9) who meets a swan (2) RIDDEN BY a man with a swollen foot (6) etc...... From: Julian E.Fitzgibbon ([email protected]) GERMAN Text: Drei Komma Hus verbrannt und Brennabor bringen die Zahl Pi hervor. Translation: Three point Hus burnt, and Brandenburg [conquered] will render the number of Pi. Explanation: During the council of Constance, in the year 1415, Johannes Hus was condemned to death at the stake. Brandenburg was conquered in the year 927. Source: Walter Lietzmann: "Lustiges und Merkwuerdiges von Zahlen und Formen", 8., durchgesehene Auflage, Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Goettingen (1955) From: Otto Stolz ([email protected]) SPANISH Here's one in Spanish, based on the ordinal number for each initial letter (a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4, etc.) of each word in the sentence, "Come a discrecion ante extranos; incluso babeandote, famelico, entabla conversacion fluida." 3.1415926536 rounded off to 10 decimals. A loose translation may go like this, "Eat with discretion among strangers; even if you're drooling, phamelic, start a fluid conversation." From: Antonio Bouzas ([email protected])

Misc. MNEMONICS.

ENGLISH 1 Text: If inside a circle a line Hits the center and goes spine to spine And the line's length is "d" the circumference will be d times three point one four one five nine. (Anonymous) Source: Michael Cook ([email protected]) : Canonical List of Math Jokes newsgroups: rec.humor 2 Text: 'Tis a favorite project of mine A new value of pi to assign. I would fix it at three For it's simpler, you see, Than three point one four one five nine. (by Harvey L. Carter) Source: Michael Cook ([email protected]) : Canonical List of Math Jokes newsgroups: rec.humor 3 Text: 'Cause I couldn't see how it was done. Now Euler's my hero For I now see why zero (is/equals) e to the i (times) pi plus one. {= e^(i*pi) + 1} Source: target="_parent">http://primus.com/staff/paulp/useless/pi.html FRENCH Text: La circonference est fiere D'etre egale a 2 pi R, Et le cercle est tout heureux D'etre egal a pi R 2. Translation: The circumference is proud To be equal to 2*pi*r, And the disk is very happy To be equal to pi*R^2 From: LEW DION ([email protected]) NORWEGIAN Text: Mannen i maanen kan smile og le ringen rundt hodet er pi ganger d. Men vil du finne fjeset til mannen saa er formelen pi r i annen. Translation: The man in the moon can smile and laugh the ring around the head is Pi*d But if you want to find the face of the man then the formula is Pi*r^2) From: Kathrine Frey ([email protected])

A P P E N D I X

Other Constants 1. 1/pi = .318310...... ENGLISH Text: Can I discover the reciprocal? Note: The "reciprocal" stands for 10, two successive numerals. From: W.L. van der Poel ([email protected]) 2. e = 2.718281828459.... ENGLISH 1-4 Texts: To express e, remember to memorize a sentence to simplify this. (by John L. Greene) To distrupt a playroom is commonly a practice of children. (by Joseph J Guiteras) By omnibus I traveled to Brooklyn. (by David Mage) It enables a numskull to memorize a quantity of numerals. (by Gene Wildhoff) Source: Gardner, pp. 97 - 98 5 Text: To destroy a building, we detonate a quantity of hydrogen bombs. From: Joseph C Fineman ([email protected]) FRENCH Text: Tu aideras a rappeler ta quantite a beaucoup de docteurs amis. Source: Gardner, p. 93 You will help to remember your quantity to many friend doctors. (The French sentence is quite hard to understand, what is the meaning of "The quantity of a person ?".) From: Philippe Basciano ([email protected]) GREEK 1-2 Texts: Oy synh9hs h yphresia hn dwroymai w an9rwpoi th episthmh. Ta aperata t' aperioda oy symmetra h algebras oy klasmata esti. (where: h = eta, 9 = theta, y = upsilon, w = omega) (by Nikolaos I. Hatzidakis, 1924 In: Bulletin of the Greek Mathematical Society 5(1924)) Translations: [It is] not ordinary the service I give, men, to science. [The] Endless [and] aperiodic [numbers][are] not rational, or are not fractions of algebra. (by aph) ITALIAN Text: Ai modesti o vanitosi ai violenti o timorosi do cantando gaio ritmo logaritmo. Source: http://eulero.cineca.it/~barozzi/mathematica/listati/cap07.txt Translation: To the modests or proud, to the violent_people or fearful I give, singing a happy rithm, a logaritm From: Maurizio Paolini ([email protected]) ROMANIAN Text: Pe numarul e savantul il stimeaza, E academic si formeaza Baza pentru logaritmi Translation: The number e, the scientist esteems it, it's academic and forms base for logarithms. From: Radu Ionicioiu ([email protected]) SPANISH Text: Te aydare a recordar la cantidad a indoctos si releesme bien. Source: Gardner, p. 98 Translation: If you reread me carefully,I will help you to remember the amount of uneducated people. From: Frederic Udina ([email protected]) 3. c = 2.99792458..(the speed of light) ROMANIAN Text: Of, metrologi, metrologi, eruditi metrologi, nu fiti chiar pisalogi Translation: Oh, metrologists, metrologists, erudites metrologists, don't be so bothersome. From: Radu Ionicioiu ([email protected]) 4. Square Roots JAPANESE Texts: sqrt(2) -> "hitoyo hitoyo ni hitomigoro" 1. 4 1 4 2 1 3 5 6 sqrt(3) -> "hitonamini ogoreya" 1. 7 3 2 0 5 0 8 sqrt(5) -> "fuji.sanroku oroya" (??? I'm not sure) 2.2 3 6 0 6 8 From: Hajime Hirase ([email protected])

ANTREAS P. HATZIPOLAKIS [email protected]