Celebrate Pi Day 2025 with These Fun Facts

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Pi Day Activities: Learn about the history of Pi and more fun facts with our free National Pi Day Infographic

Happy Pi Day 2025!

Pi Day 2025 is on March 14th and it’s time to celebrate the most mathematical holiday of the calendar year.

If you're looking for some awesome National Pi Day 2025 activities, check out our infographic that shares interesting National Pi Day fun facts that will blow your mind!

Below, you will find a Happy Pi Day 2025 infographic that shares interesting facts about the history of National Pi Day and some fun facts about pi itself, including…

• When is Pi Day?

• What is Pi Day?

• Why is Pi Day Celebrated on March 14th?

• What year was Pi Day first celebrated?

• Where, when, and why was Pi Day first celebrated?

• What famous people are born on Pi Day?

You can click on the image of the National Pi Day Infographic or you can click here to download a printable pdf version.

Below, you can also find an animated Pi Day Fun Facts Video that accompanies the free infographic.

Looking for some Pi Day humor? Click here to access 11 Super Funny Pi Day jokes for all ages.

Happy Pi Day! When is pi day, what is pi day, and how can you celebrate? (Image: Mashup Math FP)

When is Pi Day 2025?

National Pi Day 2025 will be celebrated on Tuesday March 14th.

Pi Day is celebrated on the 14th of March each and every year. Pi Day is a national holiday that is celebrated in the United States and sometimes also around the world.

When is pi day? National Pi Day is held on March 14th every year. (Image: Mashup Math via Getty Images)

What is Pi Day?

National Pi Day is a mathematical national holiday that celebrates the mathematical symbol 𝝅, which represents the ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter. Since this ratio, no matter the size of the circle, always approximates to 3.14, pi is of the most important and interesting mathematical facts, which is why it has its own national holiday.

What is Pi Day? National Pi Day is a mathematical celebration of pi—the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter.

Why is Pi Day Celebrated on March 14th?

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th every year because the date 3/14 resembles to approximate value of pi, which is 3.14.

Again, pi represents the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter, which always approximately equals 3.14, no matter how large or small a circle may be.

Why is Pi Day celebrated on March 14th?

What year was Pi Day first celebrated?

National Pi Day is a relatively new holiday. It was first celebrated in San Francisco, California, in the United States in 1988.

If you ever visit San Francisco, the Exploratorium Museum has a Pi Shrine that commemorates the founding of Pi Day in the Bay City, along with a Pi Has Your Number exhibit, where you can interact with a touchscreen to explore all of the numbers hidden within the first 3 million digits of pi!

Pi Day was first celebrated in San Francisco in 1988. Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

What famous people are born on Pi Day?

There are many famous people born on March 14th—National Pi Day—including world famous astrophysicist Albert Einstein, NBA superstar Steph Curry, and USA Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles.

Image: Creative Commons

Image: Creative Commons

Image: Creative Commons

National Pi Day Fun Facts Video

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The Platonic Solids Explained

The Platonic Solids Explained

The Incredible History, Meaning, and Beauty of the Platonic Solids

The 5 Platonic Solids. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

The platonic solids are incredible, timeless, and fascinating three-dimensional shapes that have been studied and admired by mathematicians and mystics for thousands and thousands of years.

The platonic solids are named after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who believed that these sacred geometrical figures represented the fundamental building blocks of our universe.

In this post, we will explore the history and mathematical properties of the 5 Platonic solids, as well as their significance in mathematics, science, religion, and art.

What are the 5 Platonic Solids?

There are five total platonic solids:

• Tetrahedron: 4 faces, 4 points, 6 edges

• Hexahedron: 6 faces, 8 points, 12 edges

• Octahedron: 8 faces, 6 points, 12 edges

• Icosahedron: 20 faces, 12 points, 30 edges

• Dodecahedron: 12 faces, 20 points, 30 edges

The outlines of the five platonic solids. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

The History of the Platonic Solids

The history of Platonic solids can be traced back to ancient Greece, where the geometric shapes were first described by Plato in a dialogue entitled Timaeus. His interest in these geometrical figures is why they are called Platonic Solids today.

Plato believed that our universe was comprised up of five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and aether. He associated each element with a different Platonic solid. According to Plato:

• The tetrahedron represents fire.

• The cube represents earth.

• The octahedron represents air.

• The dodecahedron represents aether.

• The icosahedron represents water.

Platonic Solids Elements as described by Plato. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

Plato's ideas about the platonic solids and their relationship with our universe have influenced mathematicians, mystics, and astrologists for thousands of years all the way to modern day. Notably, Plato’s writings on the 5 Platonic Solids strongly influenced the famous Roman engineer and architect Vitruvius, who wrote extensively about the use of the Platonic Solids in architectural design, as well as the Islamic scholar Al-Kindi, who dedicated his life to studying the geometrical and mathematical properties of the 5 Platonic Solids.

Platonic Solids Elements: The Platonic Solids are named after the philosopher Plato, who believed that each figure represented one of the 5 elements that make up our universe. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

Platonic Solids Sacred Geometry Relationship

Sacred geometry is a term used to describe the belief that certain geometric shapes have spiritual or divine significance. Since the Platonic Solids are believed to represent the 5 elements that make up the universe, they are considered to be a part of sacred geometry.

Furthermore, sacred geometry is often associated with the study of ancient architecture, art, and symbolism, as well as with various mystical and esoteric traditions. Proponents of sacred geometry believe that these shapes and patterns can be found throughout the natural world and can serve as a means of connecting with higher spiritual realms.

The Platonic Solids can be found in sacred geometry. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

One of the most striking features of Platonic solids is that they are all regular polyhedra. This means that each face of the solid is a congruent regular polygon, and the vertices of the solid are all congruent (i.e., identical) and equidistant from the center of the solid. In addition, the angles between the faces and the angles between the edges are all the same.

In relation to sacred geometry, the unique and universal mathematical properties of the Platonic Solids is what makes them so special—and, perhaps to some, even divine.

For example, the ratio of the length of an edge to the length of the radius of the circumscribed sphere (i.e., the sphere that passes through all the vertices of the solid) is the same for all Platonic solids. This ratio is known as the "golden ratio" and has been a subject of fascination for mathematicians and artists for centuries.

The 5 Platonic Solids Explained

How many Platonic Solids are there?

There are five platonic solids: the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. Let's explore each of these shapes and their properties.

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Tetrahedron

The tetrahedron is the simplest platonic solid, consisting of four equilateral triangles that meet at four vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The tetrahedron has the smallest number of faces, edges, and vertices of all the platonic solids.

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Cube

The cube is probably the most well-known of the platonic solids, consisting of six square faces that meet at eight vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all right angles. The cube has a total of twelve edges, and each edge is the same length.

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Octahedron

The octahedron is a three-dimensional shape made up of eight equilateral triangles that meet at six vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by four other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The octahedron has a total of twelve edges, and each edge is the same length.

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Dodecahedron

The dodecahedron is a shape made up of twelve regular pentagons that meet at twenty vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The dodecahedron has a total of thirty edges, and each edge is the same length.

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Icosahedron

The icosahedron is a three-dimensional shape made up of twenty equilateral triangles that meet at twelve vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by five other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The icosahedron has a total of thirty edges, and each edge is the same length.

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Is there a new Platonic Solid?

While it is not classified as a Platonic Solid, there is an extremely interesting three-dimensional figure called a Buckyball that has many of the same mystical and structural properties of the Platonic Solids.

A buckyball is a type of fullerene, which is a molecule composed entirely of carbon atoms. Buckyballs are also known as C60 molecules because they are made up of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a spherical shape, like a soccer ball.

The structure of buckyballs was discovered in 1985 by scientists Robert Curl, Harold Kroto, and Richard Smalley, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for their work. Buckyballs have unique electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, and they have potential applications in fields such as nanotechnology, materials science, and medicine.

If you have ever walked along the waterfront in San Francisco, California, you have likely seen the famous 25-foot Buckyball sculpture in front of the Exploratorium at Pier 15.

The famous Buckyball sculpture in San Francisco.

The structure of a Buckyball, which has faces comprised of hexagons and pentagons.

(Image: Mashup Math FP)

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Conclusion: Platonic Solids

Platonic solids are special because they are a group of five regular, convex polyhedra that have the same number of faces meeting at each vertex, and all faces are congruent regular polygons.

The 5 Platonic Solids have unique mathematical properties, such as their relationship between the number of vertices, edges, and faces, as well as symmetries and interesting geometric properties that have made them the subject of study in various fields.

Additionally, their historical significance, recognized by Plato in his philosophical works, has further contributed to their divine status in the fields of mathematics and sacred geometry.

The properties of Platonic solids have fascinated mathematicians and scientists for thousands of years and continue to be a subject of study and fascination today.

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