Meet SAMI, have some Pi and “Make Fun of Math”

BELLEVUE -- Bellevue Community College's new Science and Mathematics Institute (SAMI) is helping Bellevue Public Schools teachers and students celebrate International Pi Day on March 14 by "Making Fun of Math."

Pi Day is an unofficial, international holiday celebrating "pi," one of the most important ratios in mathematics. Pi, which in math formulas is represented by the Greek letter pi (π), is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

Pi is equal to approximately 3.14159, but it's an "irrational" number, which means it extends infinitely without its digits ever repeating in a pattern. Using computers, mathematicians have calculated pi to over 1 trillion digits past the decimal.

Pi Day is observed on March 14 because that date, 3/14, is represented by the first three digits of pi.

Contests for limericks about pi, for calculating the number of M&Ms in a jar (which requires using pi) and to see who can memorize the most digits of pi, along with other fun activities, will be used to help Bellevue Public Schools become acquainted with the concept of pi and its applications.

At 26 seconds after 1:59 p.m. on Pi Day, some classes will celebrate 'Pi Second,' which is the moment when the date and time can be represented by the first eight digits of pi: 3/14, 1:59:26.

"The whole purpose of SAMI is to promote learning about science and math both at BCC and in K-12 schools," said Dr. Karla Fuller, SAMI Program Manager at BCC.

"Our first outreach project is Pi Day, when we'll help Bellevue schools "Make Fun of Math,"but we are also planning some public events for Math Awareness Month in April, tying into the national theme of "Math & Voting.""

SAMI recently treated eighth grade visitors from the African American Academy to science demonstrations by BCC faculty and members of the BCC student Physics Club.

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