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You might know the mnemonic for $\pi$ in the title or even this more elaborated one:

Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
In mystic force, and magic spelling
Celestial sprites elucidate
All my own striving can't relate
Or locate they who can cogitate
And so finally terminate.
Finis.

Are there any for other than $\pi$? Feel free to create your own! Here's my try for $\gamma$:

"0 Euler Leonhard" $\to 0,58$

Choose your favorite language and feel free to post a riddle...

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    $\begingroup$ Write the mnemonic first, and define the number to match it :) . $\endgroup$
    – Andreas Blass
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:03
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    $\begingroup$ Doesn't really fall under your category, but this is a pretty cool (and effective!) way of memorizing a lot of $\pi$. $\endgroup$
    – Alfonso Fernandez
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:03
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    $\begingroup$ For bonus points, make those into a Haiku. $\endgroup$
    – Asaf Karagila ♦
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:11
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    $\begingroup$ Wikipedia has this info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piphilology $\endgroup$
    – Matthew Conroy
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:11
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    $\begingroup$ I'm converting this to CW $\endgroup$
    – robjohn ♦
    Jan 23, 2013 at 2:35

8 Answers 8

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My spirits I brighten by leveling a mountain of decrepit milk maids furiously canoodling with lords of the manor.

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    $\begingroup$ Yes, canoodling is underused. $\endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:22
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    $\begingroup$ +1 nice $\endgroup$
    – draks ...
    Jan 22, 2013 at 23:28
  • $\begingroup$ canoodling has 10 letters? $\endgroup$
    – Jonas Meyer
    Jan 23, 2013 at 1:23
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    $\begingroup$ @Jonas: Yes: $10\equiv0\pmod{10}$. $\endgroup$
    – Brian M. Scott
    Jan 23, 2013 at 1:28
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    $\begingroup$ @Jonas: I was just sorry that wantonly was too short! $\endgroup$
    – Brian M. Scott
    Jan 23, 2013 at 1:33
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Martin Gardner quoted one for $\pi$ which I like:

How I wish a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters involving quantum mechanics.

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Maybe have a look at:

Ivars Peterson's MathTrek

Pi P H I L O L O G Y

Regards

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice...I hadn't seen this earlier! $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    May 7, 2013 at 0:29
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy: I am always surprised by the weirdness one encounters at times. I just reread the account about an professor analyzing math terms, then using the analysis to write a bogus paper and it was accepted by a (non) reputable journal. I also knew a professor who used math to write poetry and some of it was actually very good! $\endgroup$
    – Amzoti
    May 7, 2013 at 0:36
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At the Feynman point:

Calculate perimeter: eightieth, ninetieth, hundredth: endlessly!

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Of matrices becoming usually singular consider likeliness reasoning, given sufficient hugeness (unlike merely randomness), he said, so I do.

Solution: http://oeis.org/A048651/

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An ostrich, a platypus, an elephant, a tapeworm, in selfsame boat abide cataclysm?

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Que j'aime à faire apprendre une nombre utile aux sages, immortel archimède, artiste ingènieux...

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I understand that if you recite Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, you repectively get $\frac{2e^2+3}{3π +1}$ and $2\sqrt{π} + 1$. Easy calculations then give you $π$ and $e$ making all other mnemonics superfluous.

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    $\begingroup$ How does this work? Can you give an example calculation using Homer's Odyssey... $\endgroup$
    – draks ...
    Jan 23, 2013 at 11:42
  • $\begingroup$ @draks... I'm afraid you'll have to take the Ancient Greek original. $\endgroup$
    – k.stm
    Jan 23, 2013 at 11:44
  • $\begingroup$ D'oh, nuts! Hmm Donuts, but go ahead... $\endgroup$
    – draks ...
    Jan 23, 2013 at 12:39
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    $\begingroup$ Citation needed? $\endgroup$
    – cobaltduck
    Jan 23, 2013 at 14:49

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