# Mathematical PI Week

Saturday 14th March was Mathematical Pi day. The reason why this date is chosen is because it links to the first 3 digits of Pi.  So what is Pi?

If you take any circle and divide its circumference by its diameter you will get the number Pi. Pi is a very special number as it is a never ending, non-recurring decimal that cannot be expressed as a fraction. The first few digits of Pi are 3.1415926535…. and then it goes on forever! Pi is not just linked to circles, but also to cones, spheres, spirals, waves, colour, light, sound and motion.

The Maths Department ran their annual ‘Pi recital competition’ today, where students are challenged to recite Pi to as many decimal places as possible with prizes for the top reciters. One of our Sixth Form students, Femi, got to 250 places using a song to help him remember the sequence and Theo Cains also from Sixth Form got to 107.

There was also a House competition in form time, where students had to identify places in the North West. (All of the images involved Pi and had been taken by Mrs McConnon’s father. )

An easy way to remember the formula for the circumference of a circle is ‘Cherry Pie is Delicious’ and for the area of a circle, ‘Apples Pies are too ‘ and so Thomas Franks served cherry and apple pie for dessert yesterday as a special treat.

Happy Pi day everyone.