Using an Out-of-Control Car to Calculate π. @standupmaths
Using an Out-of-Control Car to Calculate π.  @standupmaths
Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Happy Pi Day: 14 March 2023. (Yes, the video goes out a few days early. So teachers have time to plan their Pi Day activities.)

Huge thanks to Eric and the whole team for letting us in to skid some cars and calculate pi.

It was an active and working site and they did a great job making time, staff and cars available for us.

If you want to learn more about traffic reconstruction calculations, check out this (slightly odd) 1983 book "Handbook For The Accident Reconstructionist". ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Photocopy/98667NCJRS.pdf

If you want to sign-up and hear about Pi Day 2024 plans, here is the form: bit.ly/piday24help

Huge thanks to my Patreon people who support all my silly Pi Day videos with their irrational funding. Join in and we'll make Pi Day 2024 bigger and sillier. patreon.com/standupmaths

And sorry I could only put the names of Statistically Significant and higher Patreon tiers on the scrolling credits. A bunch of that was done by hand and that was the limit of what could be lined up.

CORRECTIONS
- If we had used 26/38 exactly were would have π = 3.136421 which is basically 3.14 (First spotted by CK.)
- Let me know if you spot anything else!

Filming and editing by Alex Genn-Bash
Pi Reconstruction by Eric
Stunt Driving by A Colleague Of Eric's
Location provided by Like We're Going To Tell You
Extra help by Why Are You Asking So Many Questions
Written and performed by Matt Parker
Credits Animation by Willow Marler
Produced by Nicole Jacobus
Music by Howard Carter
Design by Simon Wright and Adam Robinson

MATT PARKER: Stand-up Mathematician
Website: standupmaths.com
US book: penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610964/humble-pi-by-matt-parker
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Using an Out-of-Control Car to Calculate π.

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