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I know that some characters recite pi digits to either calm themselves, or to
distract themselves. I remember a particular case in the series
[r-15](/questions/tagged/r-15 "show questions tagged 'r-15'").

Is there any particular reason it is pi?


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2019-09-06T04:17:40.150
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2019-09-06T12:40:28.963
2019-09-06T12:40:28.963
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tropes r-15
Why do characters recite π (pi) to distract themselves?


This seems to be a play on the psychological trick of "counting to 10".  
Counting to 10 (or more) is a methodology often used to help people with
anxiety, fear, anger and in the case or R-15, arousal.

By counting to ten, you actively keep your mind busy, effectively distracting
you from whatever is causing your anxiety, fear etc.

In R-15 instead of counting to 10 however, Ritsu Enshū (円周 率 Enshū Ritsu)
recites π. As he is regarded as a genius mathematician, it makes more sense
that reciting π would be more mentally challenging for him, then counting to
10 would be. And thus be a more effective way of distracting him from his
arousal.

According to the [wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-15_\(novel_series\))
page, it is also a clever play on his name, as this supposedly means π.


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2019-09-06T11:59:34.200
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2019-09-06T11:59:34.200
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