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3/3/09: Celebrate Square Root Day!

By John Farrier in Science & Tech on Mar 2, 2009 at 10:01 pm


When the month and day form the square root of the year, math geeks celebrate a special holiday. Well, presumably. I never made it past precalculus, so I’m only going by what the Associated Press says:

The math-buffs’ holiday, which only occurs nine times each century, falls on Tuesday — 3/3/09 (for the mathematically challenged, three is the square root of nine).

“These days are like calendar comets, you wait and wait and wait for them, then they brighten up your day — and poof — they’re gone,” said Ron Gordon, a Redwood City teacher who started a contest meant to get people excited about the event.

The winner gets, of course, $339 for having the biggest Square Root Day event.

Gordon’s daughter even set up a Facebook page — one of a half-dozen or so dedicated to the holiday — and hundreds of people had signed up with plans to celebrate in some way. Celebrations are as varied: Some cut root vegetables into squares, others make food in the shape of a square root symbol.

How will you celebrate Square Root Day?

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Image via flickr user d3 Dan


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  1. Johnny Cat
    Mar 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 pm

    Well, I'll be celebrating the day because it's my birthday, but this is a cool year for it. It really pumps me up, cause 3 is, natch, my lucky number. 3x3=9 Baby! 8O

  2. John
    Mar 2nd, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    Happy Birthday, Johnny Cat!

  3. Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach
    Mar 3rd, 2009 at 4:05 am

    2B, or not (2B^2)....rooted!

    I'll be talking in squares to my kids today, of course. :) And Happy Birthday to you Johnny Cat too!

    Barbara

  4. Luxtr
    Mar 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 am

    Hey, it's my birthday also!

  5. Neslock
    Mar 3rd, 2009 at 8:03 am

    It's my birthday too. I was born in 1969, and when I was a kid I thought that was awesome because 3 + 3 = 6 and 3 * 3 = 9.

  6. Johnny Cat
    Mar 3rd, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Hooray! Thanks and Happy B-Day to Luxtr and Neslock!

  7. Alex
    Mar 4th, 2009 at 1:11 am

    Whoa! Happy (belated) birthday, guys!

  8. ted
    Mar 4th, 2009 at 8:31 am

    I don't get it. That looks like 3 divided by 3 divided by 9. What's so special about that?

  9. burninglily
    Mar 4th, 2009 at 9:35 am

    It was my twin brother and my birthday so thats what we did!

  10. DeLuxe
    Mar 4th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    Oh boy, I still remember the massive festivities on February 2nd, 2004. How time flies!

    By the way in nine days it's Pi Day: 3.14
    The Big Party in 6 years: 3.1415

    By the way, did anybody celebrate the start of the Second Millennium as such? (on 01.01.01? Yes, 2001...)

  11. DeLuxe
    Mar 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm

    *esprit d'escalier*

    Three suare, which equals 9, is written as 3 with a smaller 2 floating above to its right. (cant post that visually here, but everyone knows what I mean, right?)
    That would make 3.2.9, Exactly The Day Before!

    So... that's pretty special too. Or is it?

    With the risk of sounding old: I say 2004 was the Best Squaroot Day EVER.

  12. MG vavavaVoom
    Dec 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    For those who bypassed square-root day without commemorating it (like I failed to do) Pythagoras day is coming: 6/8/10. Whoo-hoo!

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