10 Books for celebrating Pi Day with Students

Overview:

On March 14, schools celebrate Pi Day (Greek letter “π”), the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant—the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Every year on March 14, schools celebrate Pi Day (Greek letter “π”), the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant—the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter—which is approximately 3.14159. Pi Day is an annual opportunity for math enthusiasts to recite the infinite digits of Pi, talk to their friends about math, and eat pie.
Pi has been calculated to be over 50 trillion digits beyond its decimal point.

Pi will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern as an irrational and transcendental number. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize and computationally calculate more and more digits.

Here’s a list of 10 books perfect for celebrating Pi Day with students:

“Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi” by Cindy Neuschwander – Join Sir Cumference and his son Radius as they embark on an adventure to rescue a missing dragon and learn about the mathematical concept of pi along the way.
“The Joy of Pi” by David Blatner – This fun and informative book explores the history and significance of Pi through engaging illustrations and anecdotes, making it accessible to young readers.
“Sir Cumference and the First Round Table” by Cindy Neuschwander – In this clever twist on the legend of King Arthur, Sir Cumference introduces the concept of circles and pi as they attempt to build the perfect round table.
“How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics” by Eugenia Cheng – Through baking recipes and mathematical concepts, this book teaches children about the relationship between math and everyday activities like cooking.
“A History of Pi” by Petr Beckmann – While more suitable for older children, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and significance of pi, making it a great resource for curious minds.
“Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens” by Cindy Neuschwander—Join Sir Cumference and Lady Di as they organize a competition to count the kingdom’s population by grouping it into tens, introducing concepts of place value and decimals.
“Piece of Pi: Wit-Sharpening, Brain-Bracing, Number-Crunching Activities with Pi” by Naila Bokhari – This activity book is filled with puzzles, games, and brainteasers all centered around the number pi, providing hours of fun and learning.
“The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure” by Hans Magnus Enzensberger – While not specifically about pi, this imaginative story takes readers on a journey through the world of mathematics, entertainingly introducing various mathematical concepts.
“The Day I Met π” by Bruce Marshall – Follow the adventures of a young girl as she discovers the magic of pi through encounters with various characters and scenarios, making math come alive in unexpected ways.
“Pi in the Sky” by Wendy Mass – In this novel, a young boy named Joss travels to the mathematical universe to retrieve a missing number, encountering mathematical concepts like pi along the way in a whimsical and imaginative adventure.