Amended in Assembly March 12, 2015

Amended in Assembly March 4, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 25

Introduced by Assembly Member Obernolte

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)

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February 17, 2015

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 25—Relative to Pi Day.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 25, as amended, Obernolte. Pi Day.

This measure would proclaim March 14, 2015, as Pi Day. The measure would also encourage the organization of appropriate activities that celebrate the significance of Pi, urge the formation of partnerships that provide extended exposure to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning opportunities, and support the creation of cross-sector STEM networks linking partners from various specified entities to address regional needs in STEM education through information and resource sharing.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The Greek letter Pi is the symbol for the ratio of
a circle’s circumference to its diameter, which is a universal
constant with applications throughout all science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines; and

WHEREAS, The value of Pi was approximated by the Greek
mathematician Archimedes around 250 BC as 22/7, but the actual
number is “irrational,” and continues infinitely without pattern or
repetition; and

WHEREAS, The value of Pi has been calculated to over one
trillion digits, but only 39 digits are sufficient to calculate the
circumference of the known universe; and

WHEREAS, Pi Day was founded at the Exploratorium in San
Francisco 27 years ago, and is celebrated annually on March 14th
to correspond with the first three digits of Pi (i.e. 3.14); and

WHEREAS, Pi Day will hold special significance in 2015 when,
at 9:26:53 a.m. and p.m., the date and time align with the first 10
digits of Pi (i.e. 3.141592653) for the only time this century; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2013 Brookings Institution study,
20 percent of all jobs in the United States require specialized
knowledge in a STEM field; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Commerce reports
that growth in STEM jobs over the past 10 years was three times
greater than that of non-STEM jobs; and

WHEREAS, According to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), American pupils at age
15 are ranked 26th out of the 34 OECD countries in math, and 21st
in science; and

WHEREAS, Women, African Americans, and Latinos are
underrepresented in STEM occupations relative to their share of
the workforce; and

WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that participation in STEM
fields increases when pupils are engaged through the hands-on
application of science and mathematics to solve real-world
problems; and

WHEREAS, A May 2014 report issued by the Superintendent
of Public Instruction’s STEM task force concluded that informal
learning opportunities coupled with a broad array of business,
philanthropic, and community STEM partnerships can play a
critical role in expanding interest, opportunities, and participation
in STEM fields; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims March 14,
2015, as Pi Day; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature does all of the following:

(a) Encourages educators, museums, libraries, parks, businesses,
and community-based groups to organize appropriate activities
that celebrate the significance of Pi, and engage students of all
ages in the study of science and mathematics.

(b) Urges the formation of business, philanthropic, and
community partnerships that provide extended exposure to STEM
learning opportunities.

(c) Supports the creation of cross-sector STEM networks linking
partners from government, business, community organizations,
and nonprofits to address regional needs in STEM education
through information and resource sharing; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.