Memorizing the Digits of Pi

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What’s the best way to memorize the digits of pi? Calvin Trillin explores the options, including using music, a form of poetry known as piems, and clustering the numbers. “Lu Chao, the official world-record holder, used a method he based in part on the Chinese language—one that enabled him to recite sixty-seven thousand eight hundred and ninety digits,” writes Trillin.  Even high-schoolers are tackling the challenge, particularly high-schoolers at New York City’s Facing History School, which awards the student with the best pi memory an iPod Touch during Pi Week.  This year’s winner: a sophomore named Jason Gil, who recited 162 digits.