MLES sixth-grade classes celebrate special math day early
This Saturday, March 14, mathematicians and nerds around the world will honor the most widely known mathematical constant and irrational number – pi or approximately 3.14 – on “Pi Day.”
Mountain Lake Public Elementary School sixth-grade classes got a jump on the special day by celebrating their second annual Pi Day on Friday afternoon, March 13. Events included Pi recitation contest, pie and a Pi Day 5K Run/Walk.
Noah Rempel memorized pi out to 67 digits, winning this year’s contest, claiming the crown from last year’s champ in the inaugural sixth-grade Pi Day (and this year’s judge), Isaac Grev. Rempel outdid Grev’s recitation of 51 digits by 16 – marking the record – and laying down the gauntlet; the challenge to top that number, to next year’s class of sixth-grade students. Ernesto Garcia De La Cruz also had a good recitation run, taking pi out to 32 digits. Both Anika Fast and Kelly Watkins also had strong recitation skills, each taking pi to 29 digits. Additionally, Alex Hernandez cracked 20 – with 21 digits.
Actually, this year’s March 14 event is touted as a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.
March 14, 2015, or 3.14 ’15 coincides with the first five digits of the number, something that happens once a century. At 9.26 a.m, – and 53 seconds – on March 14, the time corresponds to the first 10 digits of Pi which are 3.141592653, making it the longest extended Pi Day of our lives. (The thrill repeats at 9.26 p.m, – and 53 seconds.)
It is understood by those in the know that the year 1592 was a better year. This was probably the greatest Pi Day in history. Every 100 years (1915, 2015, 2115 – and so on) come the next closest Pi days.
Since the day was first marked at San Francisco’s science museum, the Exploratorium in 1988, it has gained in popularity.
Here are some fun facts about pi and Pi Day:
* Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant – the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter – which is approximately 3.14159.
* Pi is all around us. The number is the same for all circles of any size.
* Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue on and on on and on – infinitely – without repetition or pattern.
* Only 40 digits of pi is needed to accurately calculate the spherical volume of the universe – but mathematicians find it a challenge to figure out and memorise the digits of Pi.
* The Guinness World Record for memorizing the digits of pi is held by Chao Lu of China, who recited the number to more than 67,000 decimal places.
* Pi has been known for almost 4,000 years, but ancient civilizations, like the Babylonians, did not have accurate calculations of it. The first calculation of pi was done by Archimedes (287-212 B.C.).
* The Exploratorium’s physicist, Larry Shaw, kicked off the tradition of celebrating Pi Day in 1988 by – walking around in a circle while eating fruit pies.
* The United States Congress endorsed Pi Day as a day to celebrate math education in 2009. Many institutions mark it as a way to encourage interest in math and science.
* There is a song about pi by British singer Kate Bush.
* Some people bake Pi pies – like the one pictured above.
* March 14 is also scientist Albert Einstein’s birthday. Strange coincidence?
* Following is a photo gallery of Mountain Lake Public Elementary’s sixth-grade Pi Day activities:
