School celebrates World Pi Day

PUPILS at Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi celebrated World Pi Day recently with a variety of activities and competitions. The iconic number is celebrated around the world on March 14 and has particular relevance to Anglesey, as it was mathematician William Jones (from Llanfihangel) who, in 1706, was the first to use the symbol π to represent the number 3.1415926…., the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Pupils celebrated pi day with activities throughout the day. These included creating a human pi chain, making pi chains, discovering their birthdays in pi and creating pi posters. The activities culminated in the annual pi championship where pupils compete to memorize as many digits of pi as possible. This year’s winner was Jessica Pratt (year 7) who was able to recite 61 digits from memory. The staff competition was won by Mrs Gemma Owen who recited 83 digits in front of a packed lunchtime crowd. Pupils were also asked to design a poster to celebrate our Welsh connection with pi. The winner was Hannah Jones, with runners up Niamh Reid, Morgan Evans, and Keisha Jones (all year 7).

Pupils also raised £50 for the Holyhead Marina fund by donating money for the teacher they wanted to ‘Pi’. The unlucky teacher was Mr Wyn Owen who had shaving foam Pi’s thrown at him (pictured inset), to the pleasure of the large crowd of cheering spectators.