Every year on March 14th, the world celebrates Pi Day, a day dedicated to the mathematical constant π (pi). This irrational number, which starts with 3.14159, and which has no end, represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. While memorizing pi up to 100 digits (or even 1,000 digits) might seem like an insurmountable task, there are effective techniques that can make it both achievable and fun.

So without further ado, we’ll delve into the “how to” of memorizing pi using mnemonic devices like the Major System, memory palaces, and the power of chunking.

Creating a Memory Palace

Memorizing the seemingly endless stream of pi’s digits can feel overwhelming. Enter the Memory Palace. 

A memory palace is a powerful method to memorize a large amount of information in a structured and organized manner. This technique involves mentally placing the information you want to memorize in various locations within an imaginary space, and it’s extremely helpful for visual learners. Let’s use this approach to memorize pi.

Imagine walking through your childhood home, placing images that represent groups of digits at specific locations. For instance, “3141” could be visualized in the living room, where a giant pie (pi) is being sliced into 31 equal pieces. The key is to vividly associate the images with their corresponding digits using your senses, making the information stick in your memory.

Chunking: Dividing and Conquering 

Think about a credit-card number. It has 16 digits split into 4 “chunks.” If you can remember each of those 4 chunks separately, it becomes easier to air them into the whole. 

Likewise, dividing the digits of pi into manageable chunks can significantly ease the memorization process. Instead of trying to memorize all 100 digits at once (or 1,000 digits if you’re feeling ambitious), break them into groups of 5 digits each. 

Chunking is the most accessible way to memorize the first 100 digits of Pi—you can literally start doing it right now without very much thought at all. Plus, we actually have a pre-built study set that breaks the first 20 digits into chunks of various sizes. Once you’ve mastered that set, you can sign up (it’s free) to create a study set for the next 20 digits.

While chunking is the most simple method, it’s no slouch—especially when used with other memorization techniques. Chunking was used in concert with memory places by Chao Lu, a former Guinness World Record holder for reciting 67,890 digits of pi from memory.

Chao Lu utilized his memory palace to create a mental journey where each station corresponded to a chunk of digits (15 digits, to be precise). At each station, he visualized an object or scene that represented the chunk. For example, for the chunk “159265358979323,” he might picture a clock whose hands point to the numbers in sequence.

This approach exploits the brain’s natural tendency to remember images and stories, making memorization an engaging and creative process, and that makes it a powerful method for memorizing all sorts of things (including the presidents).

The Major System: Turning Digits into Sounds

The Major System is a handy mnemonic device, and it’s a great way to learn Pi. Developed as a memory technique to convert numbers into sounds, this system assigns a specific consonant sound to each digit (0-9) and, optionally, a vowel sound in between the digits. For instance, 0 is associated with the “s” sound, and 1 with the “t” sound. In this way, every digit is transformed into a phonetic code. The word Sand would correspond to 021. You’re mainly looking for the constants. The vowels are just filler.

For reference, here is a key to interpreting the Major System (with some helpful mnemonics to memorize it):

• 0 = s or z. Think zero or “so.”
• 1 = t or d. Think of t as 1 and d as done. t and d, one and done.
• 2 = n. Number 2.
• 3 = m. Like that company, 3M.
• 4 = r. Four ends with r. Simple.
• 5 = l. Can’t spell five without i.
• 6 = sh, ch, zh, j (soft g). George is a 6-letter word.
• 7 = k or hard g. Gwyneth Paltrow is in the movie 7.
• 8 = f or v. Favor-eight number.
• 9 = p or b. 9 is just a backwards p, and b is an upside down p.

It takes a minute to wrap your head around but the idea is fairly simple: You’re more likely to remember structured words and sounds than a random string of numbers.

This video from Wired helps put it into context:

Leverage the Power of Rhyme Constructs

Hideaki Tomoyori, a Japanese memory expert, utilized a rhyme construct technique to memorize pi. By assigning a two-digit number to each rhyme and then linking these rhymes with their corresponding digits, he turned an abstract sequence into a catchy and memorable song.

For instance, the rhyme for “41” could be something like “sunny fun.” By creating a rhythmic narrative, you can tap into your brain’s natural inclination to remember patterns and rhythms, boosting your long-term memory retention.

Practice a lot

Whatever method you choose, you’re going to have to practice. Even Rajveer Meena, the 21-year-old who successfully recited 70,000 digits of pi within 10 hours, had to start with a single digit. He wasn’t born knowing Pi and the greatest superpower he employed to set his record was simply a combination of memorization techniques and, that word again, practice.

So while memorizing pi might seem like an impossible task, it’s an achievable and even enjoyable endeavor. Utilizing methods such as the Major System, memory palaces, chunking, mnemonic devices, and rhyme constructs, you can transform the abstract sequence of pi’s digits into vivid and memorable images, stories, and sounds. 

And that, in my opinion, is the best part of memorizing Pi: You won’t just be learning a number, you’ll be learning entirely new techniques that will help you harness the power of your memory. Plus you’ll surely impress your friends (at least the nerdy ones) with your pi memorization skills. 

Remember, it’s not just about the math; it’s about the art of memorization.