Enthusiasts dusted off slide rules and recharged calculators yesterday for Square Root Day — a math-buffs’ holiday that only occurs nine times each century.
Yesterday was 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, California, teacher who started a contest meant to get people excited about the event.
The winner gets US$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 varied: Some cut root vegetables into squares, others made food in the shape of a square root symbol.
The last Square Root Day was five years ago on Feb. 2, 2004, which coincided with Groundhog Day.
The next is seven years away, on April 4, 2016.
“We have but nine of these days in a century and hope all can enjoy a little math fun on Tuesday,” Gordon said.
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