Math Holidays

As we enter the Holiday season, traditional winter holidays may come to mind: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day. But did you know various math topics have holidays solely dedicated to it? Not to be left out of the festivities, there are various nationally and internationally recognized math holidays that we can celebrate at the end of 2020 and all through 2021! We’ll look at 5 math holidays to celebrate. Grab your calendar and let's start planning!

(1) Pythagorean Theorem Day - December 16, 2020

The Pythagorean Theorem is a formula used to calculate the length of the sides of a right triangle, a² x b² = c². This formula is celebrated on days of the year that match the formula.  It just so happens that the next date to celebrate is December 16, 2020 (12² + 16² = 20²).

Try calculating the next Pythagorean Theorem Day in 2025. July 24, 2025 (7/24/25 or 24/7/25): 7² + 24² = 25².

(2) Fibonacci Day - November 23, 2021

Celebrated annually on November 23rd, this math holiday is based on the "Fibonacci Sequence," a group of numbers that create a spiral.  The Fibonacci Sequence begins with the numbers 1,1. Each following number added to the sequence is calculated by adding the previous two numbers: 1 (+) 1,2, (+) 3 5, (+) 8,13, (+) 21,34 and so on.

Visually this sequence looks like a spiral shape and is often found in nature. Next time you're outside, analyze a pinecone or at the grocery store take a closer look at the patterns on a pineapple. If you are a music fan, when playing the piano, notice the number of white keys (8) plus the number of black keys (5) in each octave equal the sum, 13, another example of the Fibonacci sequence.  

(3) Mole Day - October 23, 2021

Although this holiday recognizes a basic unit in chemistry called “Avogadro’s Number”. The unit has roots in math, as it is a unit of measurement. The unit is written as 6.02 * 10²³. Celebrated from 6:02am to 6:02pm on this day, the goal is to participate in pun-related “mole” activities, such as eating food with “mole” sauce or baking “molasses cookies” to celebrate.  Each year the National Mole Day Foundation chooses a catchy theme. 2020's theme was MOLEzilla.

You can join the fun by submitting a theme for 2021 that could be chosen. Just come up with a pun using the word "mole". You can enter a submission through the National Mole Day Foundation's website, moleday.org.

(4) Pi Day - March 14, 2021

Pi Day is a celebration of this familiar symbol, (π), a mathematical symbol that represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The pi number sequence (π) when entered into a calculator is 3.141592654, but the number doesn’t have an end, it’s infinite. The sequence is abbreviated by its first three numbers, 3.14, explaining why Pi Day is celebrated on the 14th day of the 3rd month each year.

On the next Pi Day, get some circular kitchen supplies (bowls, plates, soup cans, coffee cans). Measure the diameter and circumference of each item, dividing the circumference by the diameter and see if it equals to 3.14 each time.

Fun Fact: Pi Day was declared a national holiday in 2009 by the U.S. House of Representatives.

(5) World Math’s Day (International Day of Mathematics) - March 14, 2021

Celebrated annually around the world on March 14th (the same day as Pi Day) this holiday was first commemorated last year after being recognized by the Executive Council of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Last year's theme was "Math is everywhere". This year's theme is "Mathematics for a better world". This theme was chosen to highlight how with the COVID-19 pandemic, math is being used to track and work on treating the virus, as well as problem solve other pressing issues such as climate change.   

A poster challenge contest based on the year's theme will also take place. Anyone can create a poster showing how math is making this world a better place, using math-related visuals instead of words. The deadline to submit your poster is February 15, 2021. To enter your submission and for more information about the upcoming International Math Day 2021, check out the website here.

As this holiday season and year draws to a close, the holiday spirit doesn't have to stop. You now have a calendar full of Math Holidays to celebrate through 2021. To help you keep your math celebrations going strong all year long, reach out to us at Mathnasium for individualized math plans for kids in grades 2 through 12. We’ll help your child get off to a great start for the new year and make sure they are celebrating math all year long!