This date, often written 3/14, is celebrated in many countries as Pi Day, relating to the mathematical constant Pi, 3.14 (approximately).
The theme for 2021 was ‘Mathematics for a Better World’ and mathematics has certainly played a big part over the last 12 months providing models and tools to help us understand, monitor and control the spread of Coronavirus.
Staff and students from the College’s Mathematics Department joined in this worldwide celebration.
Teacher, Matt Bayley, lead on a programme of activities for all abilities throughout the week, exploring how mathematics translates into everyday life.
Students were thrown into a mathematical festival from launching water rockets in the College’s orchard to calculate speed, distance and time, to screening for disease using problem solving, sequences, binomial probabilities and mathematical comprehension.
There was even cake to demonstrate fair division, problem solving and fractions.
Students were challenged to recite Pi to as many digits as possible and to tell mathematically themed jokes:
‘How did the mathematician get lost? They got on the rhom- bus!’
I think we’ll leave it there!
Happy International Day of Mathematics everyone!