Pi is 3

Pi is 3 is a misunderstanding that the Japanese public believed that, due to the revision of the Japanese Curriculum guideline in 2002, the approximate value of pi (π), which had previously been taught as 3.14, is now taught as 3 in arithmetic education.[1][2][3][4] In fact, this is not true, and even after the revision, the approximate value of pi is still taught as 3.14.

In the Japanese Curriculum guideline published in December 1998 and implemented in 2002, regulations such as the limitation on the number of digits for decimal multiplication were changed. Although the new regulations did not change the fact that pi was to be calculated using "3.14," they added the statement that "3 is used for the purpose."

At that time, many people believed elementary school students were forced to hand calculate pi as "3", and believed that is a typical example of the negative effects of a relaxed education.[5][6][7] This misunderstanding was not easily resolved.[8][9][10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 曽我2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 細野2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ 朝日新聞 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference 山下2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ 関沢正躬 2000, pp. 8–9.
  6. ^ 黒木哲徳 2001, p. 25.
  7. ^ 大西俊弘 2002, p. 18.
  8. ^ 木村寛治 2004, p. 138.
  9. ^ 神永正博 2008.
  10. ^ 池上彰 2013.