STUDENTS at Bullarah Public School last week celebrated International Pi Day – not the type eaten, but there were some hidden away – to honour a fundamental mathematical constant.
Pi is defined as the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter and, regardless of the size of the circle, from a mouthwatering pie to the orbit of a planet, the ratio is always the same.
Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant, and observed on March 14 for a specific, science-driven reason – the digits three, one and four are the three significant figures of pi.
International Pi Day was founded in 1988 by Larry Shaw, an employee of a science museum in San Francisco, the Exploratorium.
However, the estimation of pi dates back to the Egyptians and Babylonians.
Historical evidence confirms ancient civilisations in Egypt and Mesopotamia were among the first to develop numerical approximations for the ratio now known as pi.
While these early cultures did not have a concept of pi as a universal mathematical constant in the modern, abstract sense, they developed practical approximations for architectural and engineering needs.
Students at Bullarah Public School, west of Moree, last Friday celebrated the intriguing mathematical constant.
And school principal, Mandy Austin, said yes, there were pies involved afterwards.
“Bullarah Public School has only been celebrating the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter for two years but the results reveal some budding mathematical geniuses,” Mandy said.
After plenty of practice, two attempts each, and lots of to-ing and fro-ing for first place, the 2026 Bullarah pi champions were announced before the entire school hooked into some warm, crusty party pies.
“The kindergarten to Year 2 winner was Lilly, who memorised pi up to seven decimal places and the Year 3 to Year 6 winner was Pam, who recited the number pi to an astounding 39 decimal places,” Mandy said.
Second place was a three-way tie between Angus, George and Anna’ki, who each recited pi to 27 decimal places.
Close behind in third place in a two-way tie were Mikey and Brindabella, who reached 26 decimal places.
“We celebrated afterwards with round party pies – of course – and wrote the symbol for pi on the lids in tomato sauce,” Mandy laughed.
