On March 14th celebrate `\pi` Day. Hug `\pi`—find a way to do it.
For those who favour `\tau=2\pi` will have to postpone celebrations until July 26th. That's what you get for thinking that `\pi` is wrong. I sympathize with this position and have `\tau` day art too!
If you're not into details, you may opt to party on July 22nd, which is `\pi` approximation day (`\pi` ≈ 22/7). It's 20% more accurate that the official `\pi` day!
Finally, if you believe that `\pi = 3`, you should read why `\pi` is not equal to 3.
How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
—Willian Shakespeare (Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene 1)
Welcome to this year's celebration of `\pi` and mathematics.
The theme this year is typographical and pure—in contrast to last year's extremely elaborate computational art. This year is also the first time I have made a special kids' edition!
This year's poem is by Viorica Hrincu and it is about complications.
This year's `\pi` day song is Tshinanu by Kashtin.
If you enjoy art based on type, explore my other typographical works.
The posters were generated automatically with some optimization for avoiding word wrapping, balancing different alphabets across the page, word lengths, specific digit terminations (e.g. international kids poster ends in a 3) and so on.
You can download my list of numbers 0 to 9 in various languages. The list has some in-line annotations used in this process.
Download number word list
v0.1 12 Mar 2019
Below are the digit and word lists for each poster. The format is
digit_index[digit](language)word
0[3]THREE 1[1]ONE 2[4]FOUR 3[1]ONE 4[5]FIVE 5[9]NINE 6[2]TWO 7[6]SIX 8[5]FIVE 9[3]THREE 10[5]FIVE 11[8]EIGHT 12[9]NINE 13[7]SEVEN 14[9]NINE 15[3]THREE 16[2]TWO 17[3]THREE 18[8]EIGHT 19[4]FOUR 20[6]SIX 21[2]TWO 22[6]SIX 23[4]FOUR 24[3]THREE 25[3]THREE 26[8]EIGHT 27[3]THREE 28[2]TWO 29[7]SEVEN 30[9]NINE 31[5]FIVE 32[0]ZERO 33[2]TWO 34[8]EIGHT 35[8]EIGHT 36[4]FOUR 37[1]ONE 38[9]NINE 39[7]SEVEN 40[1]ONE 41[6]SIX 42[9]NINE 43[3]THREE 44[9]NINE 45[9]NINE 46[3]THREE 47[7]SEVEN 48[5]FIVE 49[1]ONE 50[0]ZERO 51[5]FIVE 52[8]EIGHT 53[2]TWO 54[0]ZERO 55[9]NINE 56[7]SEVEN 57[4]FOUR 58[9]NINE 59[4]FOUR 60[4]FOUR 61[5]FIVE 62[9]NINE 63[2]TWO 64[3]THREE 65[0]ZERO 66[7]SEVEN 67[8]EIGHT 68[1]ONE 69[6]SIX 70[4]FOUR 71[0]ZERO 72[6]SIX 73[2]TWO 74[8]EIGHT 75[6]SIX 76[2]TWO 77[0]ZERO 78[8]EIGHT 79[9]NINE 80[9]NINE 81[8]EIGHT 82[6]SIX 83[2]TWO 84[8]EIGHT 85[0]ZERO 86[3]THREE 87[4]FOUR 88[8]EIGHT 89[2]TWO 90[5]FIVE 91[3]THREE 92[4]FOUR 93[2]TWO 94[1]ONE 95[1]ONE 96[7]SEVEN 97[0]ZERO 98[6]SIX 99[7]SEVEN 100[9]NINE 101[8]EIGHT 102[2]TWO 103[1]ONE 104[4]FOUR 105[8]EIGHT 106[0]ZERO 107[8]EIGHT 108[6]SIX 109[5]FIVE 110[1]ONE 111[3]THREE 112[2]TWO 113[8]EIGHT 114[2]TWO 115[3]THREE 116[0]ZERO 117[6]SIX 118[6]SIX 119[4]FOUR 120[7]SEVEN 121[0]ZERO 122[9]NINE 123[3]THREE 124[8]EIGHT 125[4]FOUR 126[4]FOUR
0[3](English)THREE, 1[1](Samoan)TASI, 2[4](Zenaga)AKOZ, 3[1](Sesotho)NNGWE, 4[5](Zenaga)SHAMMUSH, 5[9](Croatian)DEVET, 6[2](Latvian)DIVI, 7[6](Maltese)SITTA, 8[5](Solresol)RELALA, 9[3](Lithuanian)TRYS, 10[5](Catalan)CINC, 11[8](Irish)OCHT, 12[9](French)NEUF, 13[7](Portuguese)SETE, 14[9](Dutch)NEGEN, 15[3](French)TROIS, 16[2](Cebuano)DUHA, 17[3](Gongduk)TAWA, 18[8](English)EIGHT, 19[4](Frisian)FJOUWER, 20[6](Gongduk)KUPA, 21[2](Afrikaans)TWEE, 22[6](Frisian)SEIS, 23[4](Malagasy)EFATRA, 24[3](Finnish)KOLME, 25[3](Estonian)KOLM, 26[8](Croatian)OSAM, 27[3](Corsican)QUATTRU, 28[2](Khasi)AR, 29[7](Nao)TESSEN, 30[9](Hausa)TARA, 31[5](Zulu)KUHLANU, 32[0](Xhosa)UNOTHI, 33[2](Puyuma)ZUWA, 34[8](Shona)SERE, 35[8](Ladan)NIB, 36[4](Somali)AFAR, 37[1](Esperanto)UNU, 38[9](Welsh)NAW, 39[7](Latin)SEPTEM, 40[1](Spanish)UNO, 41[6](French)SIX, 42[9](Lithuanian)DEVYNI, 43[3](Haitian_creole)TWA, 44[9](German)NEUN, 45[9](Zenaga)TUZA, 46[3](Catalan)TRES, 47[7](Cebuano)PITO, 48[5](Maori)RIMA, 49[1](Maori)TAHI, 50[0](Galician)CERO, 51[5](Icelandic)FIMM, 52[8](Finnish)KAHDEKSAN, 53[2](Zenaga)SHINAN, 54[0](Tagalog)SERO, 55[9](English)NINE, 56[7](Malagasy)FITO, 57[4](Indonesian)EMPAT, 58[9](Turkish)DOKUZ, 59[4](Lithuanian)KETURI, 60[4](Swahili)NNE, 61[5](Latvian)PIECI, 62[9](Dothraki)QAZAT, 63[2](Swahili)MBILI, 64[3](Cebuano)TULO, 65[0](Azerbaijani)SIFIR, 66[7](Dothraki)FEKH, 67[8](Slovenian)OSEM, 68[1](Tetun)IDA, 69[6](Hawaiian)EONO, 70[4](Tetun)HAT, 71[0](Corsican)ZERU, 72[6](Xhosa)ZINTANDATHU, 73[2](Maori)RUA, 74[8](Nao)ZYAD, 75[6](Dutch)ZES, 76[2](Hausa)BIYU, 77[0](Swedish)NOLL, 78[8](Danish)OTTE, 79[9](Scots_gaelic)NAOI, 80[9](Spanish)NUEVE, 81[8](Ro)ZAQ, 82[6](Ro)ZAL, 83[2](Ladan)SHIN, 84[8](Esperanto)OK, 85[0](Hausa)SIFILI, 86[3](Polish)TRZY, 87[4](Basque)LAU, 88[8](Basque)ZORTZI, 89[2](Haitian_creole)DE, 90[5](Xhosa)ZINTLANU, 91[3](Welsh)TRI, 92[4](Afrikaans)VIER, 93[2](Albanian)DY, 94[1](Frisian)IEN, 95[1](Tenerife)BEN, 96[7](Norwegian)SJU, 97[0](Dothraki)SOM, 98[6](Solon)NINGUN, 99[7](Slovak)SEDEM, 100[9](Tetun)SIA, 101[8](Welsh)WYTH, 102[2](Yoruba)MEJI, 103[1](Slovak)JEDEN, 104[4](Danish)FIRE, 105[8](Luxembourgish)AACHT, 106[0](German)NULL, 107[8](Maltese)TMIENJA, 108[6](Huastec_mayan)ACAC, 109[5](Welsh)PUMP, 110[1](Solon)YMUN, 111[3](Danish)TRE, 112[2](Dothraki)AKAT, 113[8](Scots_gaelic)OCHD, 114[2](Italian)DUE, 115[3](English)THREE
Some characters may not display on your screen if you do not have the supporting font. The lists below include the row of the word
digit_index:row[digit](language)word
0:0[3](English)THREE 1:0[1](Turkish)BİR 2:0[4](Greek_old)𐀤𐀵𐀫 3:0[1](Danish)EN 4:0[5](Igbo)ISE 5:0[9](Hindi)नौ 6:0[2](Urdu)دو 7:0[6](Koreansino)육 8:0[5](Gujarati)પાંચ 9:1[5](Bulgarian)ПЕТ 10:1[8](Korean)여덟 11:1[9](Etruscan)𐌍𐌖𐌓𐌘 12:1[7](Ladino)סִייֵּטִי 13:1[9](Koreansino)구 14:1[3](Hindi)तीन 15:1[2](Greek_old)𐀉𐀺 16:1[3](Ainu)レ 17:1[8](Japanese_sino)はち 18:2[6](Afrikaans)SES 19:2[2](Hungarian)KÉT 20:2[6](Irish)SÉ 21:2[4](Japanese_sino)よん 22:2[3](Macedonian)ТРИ 23:2[3](Urdu)تین 24:2[8](Ro)ZAQ 25:2[3](Pashto)درې 26:2[2](Khmer)ពីរ 27:3[9](Yiddish)נײַן 28:3[5](Ladino)סִינְקוּ 29:3[0](Myanmar)သုည 30:3[2](Malay)دوا 31:3[8](Avestan)𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 32:3[8](Gothic)𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌰𐌿 33:3[4](Biblical_arameic)אַרְבְּעָה 34:3[1](Dothraki)AT 35:4[7](Norse)ᛋᛁᚢ 36:4[1](Telugu)ఒకటి 37:4[6](Swedish)SEX 38:4[9](Punjabi)ਨੌ 39:4[3](Sundanese)ᮒᮤᮜᮥ 40:4[9](Norwegian)NI 41:4[9](Khmer)ប្រាំបួន 42:4[3](Arabic)ثلاثة 43:4[7](Yi)ʂɿ 44:5[1](Kazakh)БІР 45:5[0](Mongolianclassical)ᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ 46:5[5](Swahili)TANO 47:5[8](Hindi)आठ 48:5[2](Chinese)二 49:5[0](Dothraki)SOM 50:5[9](Samaritan)ࠕࠔࠏ 51:5[7](Lao)ເຈັດ 52:5[4](Bengali)চার 53:6[4](Old_english)ᚠᛇᚹᛖᚱ 54:6[4](Arabic)أربعة 55:6[5](Wyandot)WIŠ 56:6[9](Javanese)ꦱꦔ 57:6[2](Myanmar)နှစ် 58:6[3](Kazakh)ҮШ 59:6[0](Chinese)零 60:6[7](Mongolianclassical)ᠳᠣᠯᠤᠭᠠᠨ 61:7[1](Slovak)JEDEN 62:7[6](Phoenician)𐤔𐤔 63:7[4](Mandaic)ࡀࡓࡁࡉ 64:7[0](Persian)صفر 65:7[6](Buginese)ᨕᨛᨊᨛ 66:7[2](Albanian)DY 67:7[8](Bengali)আট 68:7[6](Hindi)छः 69:7[2](Japanese_sino)に 70:8[8](Banjar)والو 71:8[9](Amharic)ዘጠኝ 72:8[9](Pashto)نهه 73:8[8](Danish)OTTE 74:8[6](Chinese)六 75:8[2](Gujarati)બે 76:8[8](Sesotho)ROBONG 77:8[0](Lao)ສູນ 78:9[4](Hindi)चार 79:9[8](Latvian)ASTOŅI 80:9[2](Kyrgyz)ЭКИ 81:9[5](Myanmar)ငါး 82:9[3](Tajik)СЕ 83:9[4](Klallam)ŊÚS 84:9[2](Sanskrit)द्वे 85:9[1](Gujarati)એક 86:9[1](Bengali)এক 87:10[0](Igbo)EFU 88:10[6](Yonaguni)む 89:10[7](Ugaritic)𐎌𐎁𐎓 90:10[9](Norse)ᚾᛁᚢ 91:10[8](Swedish)ÅTTA 92:10[2](Bumthang)ཟོན་་ 93:10[1](Ladino)אוּנוּ 94:10[4](Chinese)四 95:10[8](Sindhi)اٺ 96:11[8](Malagasy)VALO 97:11[6](Cherokee)ᏑᏓᎵ 98:11[5](Punjabi)ਪੰਜ 99:11[1](Coptic)ⲟⲩⲁ 100:11[3](Mandaic)ࡕࡋࡀࡕࡀ 101:11[2](Danish)TO 102:11[8](Yi)hi 103:11[2](Old_turkic)𐰚𐰃 104:12[0](Yiddish)נול 105:12[6](Malay)انم 106:12[6](Ugaritic)𐎘𐎘 107:12[4](Syriac)ܐܰܪܒܥܳܐ 108:12[7](Klallam)C̓ÚʔKʷS 109:12[0](Sinhala)ශුන්යය 110:12[9](Banjar)ساڠ 111:12[3](Sylheti)ꠔꠤꠘ 112:12[8](Pashto)اته 113:13[4](Yonaguni)どぅ 114:13[6](Yi)fu 115:13[0](Catalan)ZERO 116:13[9](Esperanto)NAŬ 117:13[5](Welsh)PUMP 118:13[5](Malay)ليم 119:13[0](Amharic)ዜሮ 120:13[5](Khmer)ប្រាំ 121:14[2](Punjabi)ਦੋ 122:14[2](Frisian)TWA 123:14[3](Sindhi)ٽي 124:14[1](Syriac)ܚܰܕ 125:14[7](Azerbaijani)YEDDİ 126:14[2](Inuktitut)ᒪᕐᕉᒃ 127:14[5](Sylheti)ꠙꠣꠌ 128:14[3](Latvian)TRĪS 129:15[9](Coptic)ⲫⲓⲧ 130:15[4](Tetun)HAT 131:15[0](Punjabi)ਿਸਫਰ 132:15[8](Amharic)ስምት 133:15[1](Albanian)NJË 134:15[2](Biblical_arameic)תְּרֵין 135:15[8](Sylheti)ꠀꠑ 136:15[4](Sindhi)چار 137:15[8](Myanmar)ရှစ် 138:16[1](Buginese)ᨔᨙᨉᨗ 139:16[1](Lao)ນຶ່ງ 140:16[7](Sinhala)හත 141:16[4](Gaulish)𐌐𐌄𐌕𐌏𐌓 142:16[5](Sanskrit)पञ्च 143:16[0](Javanese)ꦤꦺꦴꦭ꧀ 144:16[2](Ainu)トゥ 145:16[8](Esperanto)OK 146:16[4](Thai)สี่ 147:17[0](Slovenian)NIČ 148:17[2](Avestan)𐬛𐬬𐬀 149:17[7](Hindi)सात 150:17[0](Samoan)SELO 151:17[1](Greek_old)𐀁𐀕 152:17[9](Mongolianclassical)ᠢᠰᠦᠨ 153:17[3](Malayalam)മുന്ന് 154:17[8](Punjabi)ਅੱਠ 155:17[5](Koreansino)오 156:18[1](Spanish)UNO 157:18[1](Samaritan)ࠇࠠࠃࠠࠄ 158:18[0](Ro)ZAX 159:18[5](Ainu)アシㇰネ 160:18[5](Telugu)ఐదు 161:18[5](Bumthang)ཡ་ང་་ 162:18[9](Yi)ɡu 163:18[6](Gujarati)છ 164:19[4](Sundanese)ᮇᮕᮒ᮪ 165:19[6](Romanian)ŞASE 166:19[2](Hebrew)שתיים 167:19[2](Kazakh)ЕКІ 168:19[9](Phoenician)𐤕𐤔𐤏 169:19[4](Yiddish)פֿיר 170:19[8](Chinese)八 171:19[9](Sindhi)نو 172:20[4](Phoenician)𐤀𐤓𐤁 173:20[9](Balinese)ᬲᬶᬬ 174:20[3](Persian)سه 175:20[0](Galician)CERO 176:20[3](Klallam)ꞭÍXʷ 177:20[8](Ladan)NIB 178:20[1](Kannada)ಒಂದು 179:20[9](Sanskrit)नव 180:21[4](Lao)ສີ່ 181:21[4](Xhosa)ZINE 182:21[2](Proto_germanic)ᛏᚹᚨ 183:21[8](Koreansino)팔 184:21[8](Sinhala)අට 185:21[1](Old_english)ᚪᚾ 186:21[0](Malagasy)AOTRA 187:21[9](Persian)نه 188:22[5](Norwegian)FEM 189:22[6](Hopi)NAVAY 190:22[6](Syriac)ܐܶܫܬܳܐ 191:22[5](Czech)PĚT 192:22[9](Gujarati)નવ 193:22[3](Kannada)ಮೂರು 194:22[3](Khmer)បី 195:22[4](Samoan)FĀ 196:23[6](Sanskrit)षष् 197:23[1](Georgian)ერთი 198:23[2](Mandaic)ࡕࡓࡉࡍ 199:23[8](Georgian_old)ႰႥႠჂ 200:23[4](Swahili)NNE 201:23[7](Banjar)ڤيتو 202:23[5](Chinese)五 203:23[6](Armenian)վեց 204:24[8](Mongolianclassical)ᠨᠠᠢᠮᠠᠨ 205:24[2](Sindhi)ٻه 206:24[3](Thompson)KEʔŁÉS 207:24[3](Ugaritic)𐎘𐎍𐎘 208:24[7](Slavonic)СЕДМЬ 209:24[8](Sanskrit)अष्ट 210:24[6](Urdu)چھ 211:24[7](Gujarati)સાત 212:25[3](Biblical_arameic)תְּלָתָה 213:25[1](Phoenician)𐤀𐤇𐤃 214:25[6](Balinese)ᬦᭂᬦᭂᬫ᭄ 215:25[5](Yiddish)פֿינף 216:25[2](Malayalam)രണ്ട് 217:25[7](Sindhi)ست 218:25[1](Cia-cia)루아 219:25[2](Arabic)اثنان 220:25[0](Ladino)זִרוֹ 221:26[9](Greekkoine)ἐννέα 222:26[9](Iglulingmiutut)ᖁᓕᖃᙱᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ
Below "Numbers" for the language indicates the Roman alphabet digits 0...9.
0:0[3](Numbers)3 1:0[1](Odia)୧ 2:0[4](Sumerian)𒐼 3:0[1](Ethiopic)፩ 4:0[5](Limbu)᥋ 5:0[9](Rumi)𐹨 6:0[2](Koreansino)이 7:0[6](Gujarati)છ 8:0[5](Klingon)5 9:0[3](Sundanese)᮳ 10:0[5](Lepcha)᱅ 11:0[8](Burmese)၈ 12:0[9](Sinhalaarchaic)𑇩 13:0[7](Malayalam)൭ 14:0[9](Osmanya)𐒩 15:0[3](Yi)ꌕ 16:1[3](Numbers)3 17:1[8](Cham)꩘ 18:1[4](Oriya)୪ 19:1[6](Yi)ꃘ 20:1[2](Kayahli)꤂ 21:1[6](Tibetan)༦ 22:1[4](Sanskrit)४ 23:1[3](Tamil)௩ 24:1[3](Lepcha)᱃ 25:1[8](Burmese)၈ 26:1[3](Telugu)౩ 27:1[2](Sinhala)෨ 28:1[7](Malayalam)൭ 29:1[9](Arabic)٩ 30:1[5](Nko)߅ 31:1[0](Osmanya)𐒠 32:2[8](Kannada)೮ 33:2[8](Sinhalaarchaic)𑇨 34:2[4](Arabic)٤ 35:2[1](Balinese)᭑ 36:2[9](Chinese)九 37:2[7](Yi)ꏃ 38:2[1](Lao)໑ 39:2[6](Nko)߆ 40:2[9](Shan)႙ 41:2[3](Copticepact)𐋣 42:2[9](Brahmi)𑁯 43:2[9](Sanskrit)९ 44:2[3](Gurmukhi)੩ 45:2[7](Bengali)৭ 46:2[5](Telugu)౫ 47:2[1](Burmese)၁ 48:3[5](Sumerian)𒐊 49:3[8](Yi)ꉆ 50:3[2](Kharoshthi)𐩁 51:3[0](Lepcha)᱀ 52:3[9](Bengali)৯ 53:3[7](Koreansino)칠 54:3[4](Limbu)᥊ 55:3[9](Balinese)᭙ 56:3[4](Kayahli)꤄ 57:3[4](Lao)໔ 58:3[5](Kannada)೫ 59:3[9](Chinese)九 60:3[2](Copticepact)𐋢 61:3[3](Sinhalaarchaic)𑇣 62:3[0](Tibetan)༠ 63:3[7](Arabic)٧ 64:4[1](Kharoshthi)𐩀 65:4[6](Hebrew)ו 66:4[4](Osmanya)𐒤 67:4[0](Sundanese)᮰ 68:4[6](Khmer)៦ 69:4[2](Brahmi)𑁨 70:4[8](Oriya)୮ 71:4[6](Javanese)꧖ 72:4[2](Klingon)2 73:4[0](Lepcha)᱀ 74:4[8](Burmese)၈ 75:4[9](Sanskrit)९ 76:4[9](Olchiki)᱙ 77:4[8](Arabic)٨ 78:4[6](Yonaguni)む 79:4[2](Punjabi)੨ 80:5[0](Burmese)၀ 81:5[3](Ainu)レ 82:5[4](Odia)୪ 83:5[8](Lao)໘ 84:5[2](Yi)ꑍ 85:5[5](Sundanese)᮵ 86:5[3](Osmanya)𐒣 87:5[4](Limbu)᥊ 88:5[2](Sinhala)෨ 89:5[1](Copticepact)𐋡 90:5[1](Sumerian)𒁹 91:5[7](Khmer)៧ 92:5[0](Tibetan)༠ 93:5[6](Thai)๖ 94:5[7](Koreansino)칠 95:5[9](Japanese_sino)く 96:6[2](Rumi)𐹡 97:6[1](Nko)߁ 98:6[4](Javanese)꧔ 99:6[8](Telugu)౮ 100:6[0](Sinhala)෦ 101:6[8](Ethiopic)፰ 102:6[6](Thai)๖ 103:6[5](Roman)V 104:6[1](Koreansino)일 105:6[3](Copticepact)𐋣 106:6[2](Limbu)᥈ 107:6[8](Yonaguni)だ 108:6[2](Kannada)೨ 109:6[3](Mongolian)᠓ 110:6[0](Vai)꘠ 111:6[6](Punjabi)੬ 112:7[4](Klingon)4 113:7[7](Nko)߇ 114:7[0](Kayahli)꤀ 115:7[9](Brahmi)𑁯 116:7[3](Chakma)𑄹 117:7[8](Yi)ꉆ 118:7[4](Sundanese)᮴ 119:7[4](Osmanya)𐒤 120:7[6](Sinhala)෬ 121:7[0](Arabic)٠ 122:7[9](Saurashtra)꣙ 123:7[5](Meeteimayek)꯵ 124:7[5](Adlam)𞥕 125:7[0](Koreansino)공 126:7[5](Numbers)5 127:7[8](Gurmukhi)੮ 128:8[2](Tibetan)༢ 129:8[3](Vai)꘣ 130:8[1](Sinhala)෧ 131:8[7](Lepcha)᱇ 132:8[2](Gujaranti)૨ 133:8[5](Chakma)𑄻 134:8[3](Brahmi)𑁩 135:8[5](Hebrew)ה 136:8[9](Odia)୯ 137:8[4](Copticepact)𐋤 138:8[0](Kayahli)꤀ 139:8[8](Sumerian)𒑄 140:8[1](Sanskrit)१ 141:8[2](Rumi)𐹡 142:8[8](Sundanese)᮸ 143:8[4](Telugu)౪ 144:9[1](Odia)୧ 145:9[1](Ethiopic)፩ 146:9[1](Chinese)一 147:9[7](Gujaranti)૭ 148:9[4](Koreansino)사 149:9[5](Khmer)៥ 150:9[0](Kayahli)꤀ 151:9[2](Osmanya)𐒢 152:9[8](Sinhala)෮ 153:9[4](Olchiki)᱔ 154:9[1](Kharoshthi)𐩀 155:9[0](Lepcha)᱀ 156:9[2](Kannada)೨ 157:9[7](Telugu)౭ 158:9[0](Numbers)0 159:9[1](Bengali)১ 160:10[3](Sinhalaarchaic)𑇣 161:10[8](Telugu)౮ 162:10[5](Meeteimayek)꯵ 163:10[2](Sumerian)𒈫 164:10[1](Arabic)١ 165:10[1](Thai)๑ 166:10[0](Shan)႐ 167:10[5](Hebrew)ה 168:10[5](Bengali)৫ 169:10[5](Malayalam)൫ 170:10[9](Brahmi)𑁯 171:10[6](Oriya)୬ 172:10[4](Burmese)၄ 173:10[4](Kharoshthi)𐩃 174:10[6](Balinese)᭖ 175:10[2](Japanese_sino)に 176:11[9](Tamil)௯ 177:11[4](Telugu)౪ 178:11[8](Punjabi)੮ 179:11[9](Osmanya)𐒩 180:11[5](Khmer)៥ 181:11[4](Chinese)四 182:11[9](Arabic)٩ 183:11[3](Kayahli)꤃ 184:11[0](Sinhala)෦ 185:11[3](Nko)߃ 186:11[8](Copticepact)𐋨 187:11[1](Lao)໑ 188:11[9](Thai)๙ 189:11[6](Tibetan)༦ 190:11[4](Sundanese)᮴ 191:11[4](Odia)୪ 192:12[8](Lao)໘ 193:12[8](Javanese)꧘ 194:12[1](Roman)I 195:12[0](Burmese)၀ 196:12[9](Bengali)৯ 197:12[7](Lepcha)᱇ 198:12[5](Copticepact)𐋥 199:12[6](Gujaranti)૬ 200:12[6](Tibetan)༦ 201:12[5](Sundanese)᮵ 202:12[9](Klingon)9 203:12[3](Sanskrit)३ 204:12[3](Yi)ꌕ 205:12[4](Vai)꘤ 206:12[4](Korean)넷 207:12[6](Tamil)௬ 208:13[2](Khmer)២ 209:13[8](Meeteimayek)꯸ 210:13[4](Kannada)೪ 211:13[7](Brahmi)𑁭 212:13[5](Tibetan)༥ 213:13[6](Balinese)᭖ 214:13[4](Lepcha)᱄ 215:13[8](Saurashtra)꣘ 216:13[2](Burmese)၂ 217:13[3](Mongolian)᠓ 218:13[3](Rumi)𐹢 219:13[7](Limbu)᥍ 220:13[8](Arabic)٨ 221:13[6](Chinese)六 222:13[7](Numbers)7 223:13[8](Osmanya)𐒨 224:14[1](Olchiki)᱑ 225:14[6](Sundanese)᮶ 226:14[5](Yi)ꉬ 227:14[2](Koreansino)이 228:14[7](Vai)꘧ 229:14[1](Balinese)᭑ 230:14[2](Hebrew)ב 231:14[0](Brahmi)𑁦 232:14[1](Oriya)୧ 233:14[9](Gurmukhi)੯ 234:14[0](Arabic)٠ 235:14[9](Saurashtra)꣙ 236:14[1](Odia)୧ 237:14[4](Meeteimayek)꯴ 238:14[5](Telugu)౫ 239:14[6](Cham)꩖ 240:15[8](Sinhala)෮ 241:15[5](Limbu)᥋ 242:15[6](Thai)๖ 243:15[6](Copticepact)𐋦 244:15[9](Tamil)௯ 245:15[2](Shan)႒ 246:15[3](Telugu)౩ 247:15[4](Vai)꘤ 248:15[6](Odia)୬ 249:15[0](Osmanya)𐒠 250:15[3](Klingon)3 251:15[4](Hebrew)ד 252:15[8](Javanese)꧘ 253:15[6](Oriya)୬ 254:15[1](Adlam)𞥑 255:15[0](Tibetan)༠ 256:16[5](Arabic)٥ 257:16[4](Gujaranti)૪ 258:16[3](Shan)႓ 259:16[2](Japanese_sino)に 260:16[6](Odia)୬ 261:16[6](Javanese)꧖ 262:16[4](Osmanya)𐒤 263:16[8](Sundanese)᮸ 264:16[2](Hebrew)ב 265:16[1](Kharoshthi)𐩀 266:16[3](Nko)߃ 267:16[3](Ainu)レ 268:16[9](Kayahli)꤉ 269:16[3](Chakma)𑄹 270:16[6](Kannada)೬ 271:16[0](Klingon)0 272:17[2](Klingon)2 273:17[6](Tamil)௬ 274:17[0](Numbers)0 275:17[2](Kharoshthi)𐩁 276:17[4](Lepcha)᱄ 277:17[9](Sundanese)᮹ 278:17[1](Mongolian)᠑ 279:17[4](Meeteimayek)꯴ 280:17[1](Khmer)១ 281:17[2](Kannada)೨ 282:17[7](Bengali)৭ 283:17[3](Sumerian)𒐈 284:17[7](Saurashtra)꣗ 285:17[2](Copticepact)𐋢 286:17[4](Hebrew)ד 287:17[5](Koreansino)오 288:18[7](Klingon)7 289:18[0](Arabic)٠ 290:18[0](Osmanya)𐒠 291:18[6](Lepcha)᱆ 292:18[6](Malayalam)൬ 293:18[0](Sinhala)෦ 294:18[6](Shan)႖ 295:18[3](Vai)꘣ 296:18[1](Bengali)১ 297:18[5](Yi)ꉬ 298:18[5](Khmer)៥ 299:18[8](Punjabi)੮ 300:18[8](Mongolian)᠘ 301:18[1](Thai)๑ 302:18[7](Koreansino)칠 303:18[4](Cham)꩔ 304:19[8](Meeteimayek)꯸ 305:19[1](Gurmukhi)੧ 306:19[5](Malayalam)൫ 307:19[2](Kayahli)꤂ 308:19[0](Numbers)0 309:19[9](Limbu)᥏ 310:19[2](Javanese)꧒ 311:19[0](Osmanya)𐒠 312:19[9](Tamil)௯ 313:19[6](Telugu)౬ 314:19[2](Sinhalaarchaic)𑇢 315:19[8](Punjabi)੮ 316:19[2](Sinhala)෨ 317:19[9](Koreansino)구 318:19[2](Kharoshthi)𐩁 319:19[5](Ethiopic)፭ 320:20[0](Shan)႐ 321:20[9](Nko)߉ 322:20[1](Mongolian)᠑ 323:20[7](Koreansino)칠 324:20[1](Chinese)一 325:20[5](Copticepact)𐋥 326:20[3](Kharoshthi)𐩂 327:20[6](Numbers)6 328:20[4](Meeteimayek)꯴ 329:20[3](Kayahli)꤃ 330:20[6](Yi)ꃘ 331:20[7](Olchiki)᱗ 332:20[8](Lepcha)᱈ 333:20[9](Ethiopic)፱ 334:20[2](Malayalam)൨ 335:20[5](Tibetan)༥ 336:21[0](Osmanya)𐒠 337:21[3](Lepcha)᱃ 338:21[6](Tamil)௬ 339:21[0](Shan)႐ 340:21[0](Klingon)0 341:21[1](Kannada)೧ 342:21[1](Gujaranti)૧ 343:21[3](Tibetan)༣ 344:21[3](Nko)߃ 345:21[0](Sinhala)෦ 346:21[5](Oriya)୫ 347:21[3](Yi)ꌕ 348:21[0](Brahmi)𑁦 349:21[5](Japanese_sino)ご 350:21[4](Mongolian)᠔ 351:21[8](Saurashtra)꣘
Celebrate π Day (March 14th) and sequence digits like its 1999. Let's call some peaks.
I don’t have good luck in the match points. —Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis player
Points of Significance is an ongoing series of short articles about statistics in Nature Methods that started in 2013. Its aim is to provide clear explanations of essential concepts in statistics for a nonspecialist audience. The articles favor heuristic explanations and make extensive use of simulated examples and graphical explanations, while maintaining mathematical rigor.
Topics range from basic, but often misunderstood, such as uncertainty and P-values, to relatively advanced, but often neglected, such as the error-in-variables problem and the curse of dimensionality. More recent articles have focused on timely topics such as modeling of epidemics, machine learning, and neural networks.
In this article, we discuss the evolution of topics and details behind some of the story arcs, our approach to crafting statistical explanations and narratives, and our use of figures and numerical simulations as props for building understanding.
Altman, N. & Krzywinski, M. (2025) Crafting 10 Years of Statistics Explanations: Points of Significance. Annual Review of Statistics and Its Application 12:69–87.
I don’t have good luck in the match points. —Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis player
In many experimental designs, we need to keep in mind the possibility of confounding variables, which may give rise to bias in the estimate of the treatment effect.
If the control and experimental groups aren't matched (or, roughly, similar enough), this bias can arise.
Sometimes this can be dealt with by randomizing, which on average can balance this effect out. When randomization is not possible, propensity score matching is an excellent strategy to match control and experimental groups.
Kurz, C.F., Krzywinski, M. & Altman, N. (2024) Points of significance: Propensity score matching. Nat. Methods 21:1770–1772.
P-values combined with estimates of effect size are used to assess the importance of experimental results. However, their interpretation can be invalidated by selection bias when testing multiple hypotheses, fitting multiple models or even informally selecting results that seem interesting after observing the data.
We offer an introduction to principled uses of p-values (targeted at the non-specialist) and identify questionable practices to be avoided.
Altman, N. & Krzywinski, M. (2024) Understanding p-values and significance. Laboratory Animals 58:443–446.
Variability is inherent in most biological systems due to differences among members of the population. Two types of variation are commonly observed in studies: differences among samples and the “error” in estimating a population parameter (e.g. mean) from a sample. While these concepts are fundamentally very different, the associated variation is often expressed using similar notation—an interval that represents a range of values with a lower and upper bound.
In this article we discuss how common intervals are used (and misused).
Altman, N. & Krzywinski, M. (2024) Depicting variability and uncertainty using intervals and error bars. Laboratory Animals 58:453–456.
We'd like to say a ‘cosmic hello’: mathematics, culture, palaeontology, art and science, and ... human genomes.