15 Mar 2019
Giraling Primary School’s Peter Yang reciting Pi to 501 digits yesterday.
Dickson College hosted a Pi Memorising Competition yesterday, with dozens of clever students across multiple schools competing for Pi-themed prizes.
In total, 32 students from across nine schools competed in four categories – Primary, High School, College and Open. Together they recited 5078 digits of pi.
Dickson College maths teacher and competition organiser Caroline Evers said Pi was a very useful number.
“I started this competition when I was at Kaleen Primary School ten years ago,” Ms Evers said.
“Pi turns up time and time again in mathematics and physics. It’s a very useful number and it is worth remembering that.
“Because the digits of Pi are non-repeating and have no pattern, memorising and reciting Pi to hundreds of places – as some of the students did yesterday – is an impressive accomplishment.
“We often celebrate athletic abilities, so why not celebrate something more cognitive?”
The overall winner of the competition was a Lyneham High School student, who recited Pi to an incredible 1056 digits.
The primary school category winner, Peter Yang from Giralang Primary School, put in an amazing performance as well, reciting Pi to 501 digits.
Congratulations to all the students who participated!