News
881 Digits of Pi Recalled from Memory
Middle and Upper School student math lovers recently had a chance to put their memories to the test and compete in Parker’s Third Annual Pi Day Recitation Contest.
Upper School participants congregated in the Harris Center for this event where they learned facts about pi and some of its fascinating history, in particular its role in different cultures and eras, while enjoying a lunch of pizza pie and cheering each other on as they competed in reciting the digits of the irrational number pi (approximately 3.14) from memory. Their Middle School counterparts were invited to participate this year, and each conducted their own Pi Day competition in their math classrooms.
Competition was fierce: 50 students made it into the 10-digit club, reciting between 10 and 20 digits; 17 more students are in the 20-digit club, reciting between 20 and 30 digits. Then, 34 students made it into the 30 club, reciting more than 30 digits of pi. But, this year’s winners were truly something else.
In the Middle School, 8th grader Star Rothkopf came in third place with 102 digits, 6th grader Harry Lowitz came in second place with 121 digits. The Middle school champion was 7th grader Lavanya Goyal with 152 digits.
In the Upper School, freshmen Aidan Weinberg came in third place with 90 digits and Camille Freedman iced second place with 304 digits. Last year, this would have won the competition (244 digits!), but last year’s second place finisher Abhi Goyal ’18 stunned everyone by recalling a whopping 881 digits from memory this year—securing first place in the competition and becoming the stuff of lore in Parker Pi Day history!
Congratulations to all of the students who participated this year, and mad mathematical respect to our sibling champions Abhi and Lavanya Goyal.
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.