3.1415926535

At our school, the fourteenth of March (3.14) is always Pi Day. And it is celebrated in grand style. It's the Math Department's day to shine and be visible, and so they do. One year with special advance arrangment, at morning assembly, a student hit the Head of School in the face with a whipped cream pie, to the amazement of those assembled! Upperclassmen (and women) bring home-made (or on occasion purchased) pies to school. Then during lunch, anyone who can recite ten digits after the decimal receives a free piece of pie!

. . . .

In previous years, those who could not do the recitation were eligible to purchase a piece of pie of choice for $3.14, the proceeds going to some worthwhile fund. Memory being what it is and lack of prior preparation sent me to the pie table today with wallet in hand, only to find that the purchase option is no longer available! What to do!

. . . .

Fortunately, a buddy of mine who teaches in the math department --AP AB/BC calculus, whatever that might be -- was there and asked me how many digits I did know. I told him I was confident of five after the decimal. A student nearby caught my buddy's eye. "I believe we have a tutor for you!" said Niall. The student listened to the digits I knew (14159), pronounced them correct (phew) and proceded to teach me 26535 and upon my immediate recitation, a piece of peanut butter pie was mine!

. . . .

Not only is life good, Mz. G; sometimes it is pretty darned sweet!