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Longest
Pi Chain-world record set by Qatar International School
[March 15]DOHA, Qatar--QATAR
International School (QIS) created the longest chain
of the mathematical symbol pi, with 10,000 decimal places
in the students’ paper chain.
The attempt was organised by head of maths,
Gary Pemberton, and the head of primary, Cherie Johnston.
Pemberton explained that the only difficulty
they had experienced was getting hold of enough paper of the
same colours.
“We used different colours to represent different
numbers, and every student from year 2 up to year 11 had to
put together a chain of ten numbers,” he explained, “and then
we joined all the different chains in the correct order and
got the chain to 10,000 decimal places.”
Pemberton, Johnston and other teachers co-ordinated
the students who stood in lines on the school field and held
the chain in the air for photographs to be taken.
Head of secondary school, Damian Gray, said he
was very pleased with the event, and was glad to see so many
students participating wholeheartedly in the exercise.
“This kind of applied theory is exactly what
brings mathematics to life for the students,” he said, “and
they all enjoy it and get involved.”
Gray explained that the children at the
school had also held a pi competition in which pi was recited
in three different languages, and he pointed out that the
participation in events such as these, show that maths in
the school is ‘very strong.
’ The attempt was a great success; the sight
of the 1,400 students holding the chain aloft was impressive,
and potentially officially record-breaking, and as Johnston
pointed out, “it was nice to see the whole school, both primary
and secondary, involved in the same project.”
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