What could possibly be interesting about a little symbol that represents a mathematical ratio? At first, many of us would suggest nothing! After all, it is a number that we still can’t give an exact value for. For most of us it brings back awful memories of formulas that we learnt in school and struggled to understand fully. Well, International Pi Day is now celebrated each year (on the 14th March … 3.14) and is an opportunity for us to celebrate the importance of Pi.

The Mathematics department made the most of this opportunity with a special recess being served for the boys. In addition to this, each of the classes in the school spent their Maths lesson learning about the impact that Pi has on all of our lives and the history of it. Whether it be that the calculation of Pi has significantly increased computer power which has had massive benefits to all of mankind such as the prediction of complex weather patterns or simply that Pi has allowed us to understand the endlessness of a circle. Whether it be learning about the importance of Pi in art and engineering or how Pi is the basis behind why their bike wheels keep going around and around. Like it or not, there is no doubt that Pi is the single most significant symbol in mathematics (both theoretical and practical).

If, at the very least, the boys appreciate that Pi is a unique number which has an importance that reaches wider than their text book – then Pi Day has been a success! Certainly this year I am confident in saying that it has! Well done and thanks to Mr Greg Thompson and the Mathematics Department that he leads.

Photo 1:  The boys’ morning tea to celebrate International Pi Day

Photo 2:  Nick Porter (Hong Kong) and Tom Orton (Milbrodale) enjoy their cup-cake.

Photo 3:  Chris Tompsett (St Ives), Austin Rewell (Roseville), Jason Wiradharma (Hunters Hill), Charles Daley (Roseville) and Jasper Hooper (Turramurra) prepare to get stuck into their circle ratio!