Pi Day at the University of Waterloo

Pi Day, is being celebrated in many math departments and scientific institutions around the world today.

It’s a great opportunity to bring attention to the mathematical constant Pi, represented by the Greek letter π. The first three digits are 3.14, just like today’s date. 

At the University of Waterloo, home of one of the largest math departments in North America, most of the math clubs get into the celebration.

They’re a social bunch. Lily Horne, a student completing her Bachelor of Mathematics, says there’s a dedicated club for almost every program under the math faculty. 

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The Computer Science Club hosts coding workshops to share their expertise, while the Actuarial Science Club often hosts ‘meet and greets’ with local companies and financial advisors.

The Pi Day event, which got underway at 1:59 pm today, is a big draw.

Almost 200 pies, in seven varieties including apple, pecan and strawberry rhubarb, were served with ice cream, and some were gobbled up in the pie-eating contest.

With hands behind the back, the record for pie-eating stood at 20 seconds.

“Our current record holder can recite over 1,000 digits of Pi”

Then there’s the recitation contest. “Our current record holder can recite over 1,000 digits of Pi”, Horne says. And the winner receives Pi dollars, $314.15  (Cdn) of course.

Lily Horne explains this is one of three Pi celebrations.

“In July we celebrate Pi Approximation Day, and so instead of free pie we give out free cake, and it’s 22 over 7, so it’s July 22nd, so 22 divided by 7 is approximately 3 point one four one… four something, it’s approximately pi.”

“And then, at least for Waterloo Math, we celebrate the 314th day of the year on November 10th or 11th depending on whether it’s a leap year.” she says. “So there’s three times a year that people get free pie, or free cake!

And if people need any more to celebrate, today is also Einstein’s birthday!