This upcoming Tuesday, students and mathematicians around the world commemorate one of the most fundamental ideas in all of geometry: Pi ()

March 14, which is now commonly referred to as “Pi Day,” aims to commend the contributions of previous mathematicians and celebrate the discipline of mathematics as a whole. As one of the most commonly used mathematical symbols, pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to diameter. 

The first organized celebration of Pi Day took place in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium. Organized by Larry Shaw, staff held competitions for consuming the most fruit pie and memorizing the most digits of , two traditions which are still held today.

In March 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution declaring March 14, 2009, as National Pi Day. The moniker has stuck since, and the 2023 Pi Day will mark the fourteenth anniversary of the holiday.

As done in years past, the Hinsdale South Math Department will celebrate Pi Day by distributing pencils and encouraging students to participate in interactive activities and online games. Hopefully, Hinsdale South students will also be able to eat a few slices of pie after school in celebration of one of the most important irrational numbers in all of math.