| In a few weeks time, we have the opportunity to celebrate the ultimate pi day. I know many of my colleagues from twitter are attending the Maths Conference 2015 (#mathsconf2015) on that day, and I have to admit I am very jealous that I cannot make it (being in Peru, it is a bit too long of a commute). But that got me thinking about what I would do to celebrate the day. And more than that, how could we celebrate it at school, especially as it falls on a Saturday. | 
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In thinking about this I came up with two ideas.
Idea 1: The Pi Day Challenge
I am going to run a competition that all students at school can enter where all they must do is take a photo of what they are doing at 9:26:53 on March 14 2015. There needs to be proof it was taken at that time (or near enough at least). This could be with a clock in the picture, or a timestamped image. It should also be vaguely mathematically themed.
I am going to run a competition that all students at school can enter where all they must do is take a photo of what they are doing at 9:26:53 on March 14 2015. There needs to be proof it was taken at that time (or near enough at least). This could be with a clock in the picture, or a timestamped image. It should also be vaguely mathematically themed.
I am thinking I might do some different categories (like any photography competition). Things like most mathematical, most artistic, most original... I need to clarify these exactly, and I am going to talk to an art teacher about the judging criteria in a normal photo competition.
In the run up to the actual day, I am going to print off some teaser posters to put up around school. There are 5 different designs, of different sizes. With these up, I will announce the competition to my classes (and ask the rest of my department to do the same).
I still need to work out how I am going to get students to submit their photos, but with them all in, we shall have somebody judge them (maybe different people for each category), and then award some prizes for the winners. I would also like to have them displayed around the school.
Idea 2: The Pi Numbers Challenge
I am also thinking of running a numbers challenge, similar to the classic Four 4s puzzle, which entails students using the five digits 3 1 4 1 5 with any operations they like to make as many of the numbers from 1 to 100 as possible.
I am also thinking of running a numbers challenge, similar to the classic Four 4s puzzle, which entails students using the five digits 3 1 4 1 5 with any operations they like to make as many of the numbers from 1 to 100 as possible.
Again, I am thinking about running this as a competition, accepting the first correct entry for each answer, and awarding prizes to the three students who have the highest number at the end of the competition (Pi Day itself). I have this poster describing the challenge and a table I will print off and display which I will hand write the first correct answers on as they come in. I am going to set up a google form on the department website for students to submit their solutions to this challenge, which I will then write up on the display.
These are just two ideas I have come up with for Pi Day frivolities. Let me know any comments, or if you have something planned for your school.
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