From Grade 4 onward, you probably remember something about about a fascinating ratio for the measurement of circles, the Greek symbol ∏ pronounced “pi”. The ratio of the circumference, the distance around a circle to the diameter, and the distance across the circle through the center point, equals 22/7 (or ∏=C/D), and divided it becomes the irrational number 3.141592653….; it is irrational because it is a non-terminating, non-repeating number. Computers have been dividing this number for years, and the calculation continues for 13 trillion numbers, with no end in sight!
This year, Pi-Day was Saturday, March 14 or in shorthand 3/14/15, and you begin to understand why this year’s celebration was so very special. And if you are really into Pi, you would have eaten your slice of pie (yes, mathematicians are a strange lot, they eat pie instead of toasting with champagne to celebrate!) at precisely 9:26:53, the next of the first ten digits of pi.
At Trinity Pi-Day was celebrated Monday at 9:26:53 with Mrs. Brockberg’s home-made Key Lime pies (at the request of top math student Aurora) topped with plenty of whipped cream. While students savored the tangy treat, Dr. Brockberg read the mathematical mystery entitled Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone. Students then worked with the approximation of pi to calculate the volumes and surface areas of cones, cylinders, and spheres for class.
The next mathematical puzzle? How many calories were in each slice of pie!