Every year on March 14th, math fans around the globe find ways to celebrate Pi Day, which honors the irrational mathematical value π = 3.1415926… Pi is most commonly introduced as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi might be also known as Archimedes constant or Ludolph’s number. Calculations explaining things like ocean and electromagnetic waves, circles, and cycles, to tides all turns use Pi to make sense of the world around us.
As STEM fans celebrated the day with math trivia, treats, and fun activities, the Apple STEM Network teamed up with Pinnacles Prep in Wenatchee to offer a sweet drive-by celebration and data collection. Sage Hills Bakery prepared specimens for the data collection, and volunteers captured data for the query, “what part of a person-shaped cookie, is most often consumed first?” A volunteer team captured data in real-time at the drive-by event on Sunday afternoon. Participants consumed a person-shaped cookie and volunteered their data point in honor of the math holiday.
The data captured revealed that people are twice as likely to begin their cookie consumption with a leg over an arm, and three times as likely to take their first bite from the head of a person-shaped cookie! The head was the preferred place to begin consuming a person-shaped cookie. One observer of the activities noted, “Headfirst, makes for zero guilt for the rest of the parts.”
The group was delighted with this sweet celebration, and thanks to Sage Hills Bakery for preparing the delectable math manipulatives. The Apple STEM Network looks forward to hearing from others about how they celebrated Pi Day and is open to suggestions for next year’s celebration!
