On Pi Day in 2017, the Colorado Rockies showed how to celebrate:
In the photo above (which was actually photoshopped), there are 19 jerseys pictured that display the first 32 digits of pi:
3 14 15 9 26 5 35 89 7 93 23 8 4 62 64 33 83 27 95
For this month's problem, you must find the longest sequence of the digits of pi using baseball jerseys.
You must adhere to the following conditions:
(1) You may use any jersey from 1 to 99 except the number 42.
(2) You may use the jerseys 0 and 00.
(3) No jersey may be used more than once.
(4) Please send in your answer as a sequence of jersey numbers with a space in between each number.
Click here for a worksheet
Here are some facts about Major League Baseball jerseys:
(1) In 1997, MLB made a decision that Number 42 cannot be issued to any new players, having been retired in honor of Jackie Robinson.
(2) On Jackie Robinson Day, teams across the MLB all wear uniform number 42 to honor him.
(3) Each player must have their own unique number.
(4) Numbers 1-14 are usually only worn by position players, while numbers 50 and above are more likely to be worn by pitchers.
Numbers 60 and above are rarely worn in the regular season. During spring training, such high numbers are often given to players who are
unlikely to make the regular-season team. It is generally thought that the higher the number, the less chance of making the team.
(5) The jersey numbers #0 and #00 have been worn by some players over the years.
Solution to the Problem:
My answer for the greatest number of digits in pi was 76 digits using 40 jerseys:3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 95 0 28 84
19 71 69 39 93 75 10 58 20 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86
However, Rob Miles found a greater number of digits of pi: 81 digits using 44 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 71 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86 20 8 99
Ivy Joseph sent in 78 digits of pi using 42 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 71 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86 20
James Alarie wrote a computer program (actually several different programs) to solve the problem. He computed Pi to 78 digits using 44 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 7 1 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 8 6 20
He then computed Pi to 79 digits using 44 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 7 1 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86 20 8
He then computed Pi to 81 digits using 45 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 7 1 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86 20 8 99
Victor Molina, one of Cady Bailey's students from Santa Fe South Pathways Middle College in Oklahoma changed the problem from baseball to famous basketball jerseys and sent in the following answer:
Dwyane Wade 3 Danny Green 14 Vince Carter 15 Tony Parker 9 Kyle Korver 26 Artis Gilmore 53 Kevin Garnett 5 Lou Amundson 89 Carmelo Anthony 7 Metta World Peace 93 Michael Jordan 23 Chris Webber 84 Bob Dille 62 Hamidou Diallo 6 Chris Carr 43 Reggie Hearn 38 Jerryd Bayless 32 Ricky Rubio 79 Lavoy Allen 50 Arron Afflalo 28 Alex Abrines 8 Quincy Acy 4 Moe Barr 19 McCoy McLemore 71
Ievgen Murzak wrote a computer program to solve the problem and found twelve ways to obtain 81 digits of pi using 45 jerseys:
3 14 15 92 65 35 89 79 32 38 46 26 4 33 83 27 9 50 28 84
19 7 1 69 39 93 75 10 5 82 0 97 49 44 59 2 30 78 16 40 62 86 20 8 99
Click here for more solutions
Click here to see Ievgen's computer program
Correctly solved by:
| 1. Rob Miles | Northbrook, Illinois |
| 2. Ivy Joseph | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| 3. James Alarie | Flint, Michigan |
| 4. Victor Molina |
Santa Fe South Pathways Middle College, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| 5. Ievgen Murzak |
University of Houston, Houston, Texas |