Showing posts with label Pi Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pi Day. Show all posts
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Show Your Work
Ok, so I recreated my Pie Chart Pie Day Fruit Pizza. I took a ton of pictures to "show my work" and created my Instructable. It wasn't nearly as fun as the first time around. But now I have two fruit pizzas to take to work tomorrow and share with my co-workers who are non-math geeks. They will probably think I'm nuts....and they'd be right.
Pie Chart Pi Day Pizza Pie (PCPDP2)
Only moments ago, the geek in me was excited as a kid on Christmas Eve. I didn't know how I would sleep between now and the momentous day when Instructables.com declares a winner for their Pi Day contest. I think I have a serious contender for winning the iPad2, engraved with 314 digits of Pi. What could be more exciting for a true math geek?!
What a difference a few minutes make. Now this geek is feeling strangled by the noose that can plague all geeks -- non-math related details. (Anything non-numbers related is superficial fluff, right?) When I first looked at the contest, I thought it was by a site called "Serious Eats". I thought all I had to do was make something that at least looked edible on camera that is related to Pi. What? There's more?
My creative and geek sides worked together in the most harmonious way to create an amazing entry. I took a photo of the finished pie that looks damn good, if I do say so myself. I just went to the contest site to submit my entry, and there were the details laughing at me. I can't submit just ONE photo and have it considered an Instructable! I have to include SEVERAL photos -- Here are the ingredients you'll need, here's Carol Merrall cutting the pie crust, here's what it looks like before it goes into the oven...and so on. Details!
Since I can't deconstruct my beautiful entry, I have to decide if it is worth it to go to the store, buy the ingredients again, and bring them home for an all-out photo shoot documenting every step. It's not that it takes a lot of time and effort...it's more that it's like asking someone to do a long division problem just to watch them do it. It was fun and exciting the first time around because it was problem solving at it's best. Now it isn't a problem to be solved. It's a rote process.
Making that comparison, now I understand why students get so bored with math. We often ask them to recreate the pie over and over again just so we can watch them do it. We need to offer them more opportunities to solve a problem they find fun and engaging.
What a difference a few minutes make. Now this geek is feeling strangled by the noose that can plague all geeks -- non-math related details. (Anything non-numbers related is superficial fluff, right?) When I first looked at the contest, I thought it was by a site called "Serious Eats". I thought all I had to do was make something that at least looked edible on camera that is related to Pi. What? There's more?
My creative and geek sides worked together in the most harmonious way to create an amazing entry. I took a photo of the finished pie that looks damn good, if I do say so myself. I just went to the contest site to submit my entry, and there were the details laughing at me. I can't submit just ONE photo and have it considered an Instructable! I have to include SEVERAL photos -- Here are the ingredients you'll need, here's Carol Merrall cutting the pie crust, here's what it looks like before it goes into the oven...and so on. Details!
Since I can't deconstruct my beautiful entry, I have to decide if it is worth it to go to the store, buy the ingredients again, and bring them home for an all-out photo shoot documenting every step. It's not that it takes a lot of time and effort...it's more that it's like asking someone to do a long division problem just to watch them do it. It was fun and exciting the first time around because it was problem solving at it's best. Now it isn't a problem to be solved. It's a rote process.
Making that comparison, now I understand why students get so bored with math. We often ask them to recreate the pie over and over again just so we can watch them do it. We need to offer them more opportunities to solve a problem they find fun and engaging.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Pi Day -- Almost Here!
I am SO looking forward to Pi Day! This weekend I plan on making some Pi Day goodies for my co-workers. I'm hoping to make something worthy of entry into the Serious Eats Pi Day Pie Contest. I'm trying to think of something really creative and keep shooting down all of my ideas. It's a occupational hazard to over think something. Hopefully I can get into my creative mojo and whip up something fun.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Pi Day Challenge 2011 | Pi Day Challenge
Are you up to the challenge? Take the Pi Day Challenge--a series of puzzles involving logic and math. The Challenge is open now and sounds like it will be running for the next several weeks.
When I logged in, before I completed any of the puzzles, I was ranked 543 in the world. It'll be interesting how far I can make that rank improve. I'll post updates as I complete puzzles. Let me know how you do by posting a comment. Have fun!
Pi Day Challenge 2011 | Pi Day Challenge
When I logged in, before I completed any of the puzzles, I was ranked 543 in the world. It'll be interesting how far I can make that rank improve. I'll post updates as I complete puzzles. Let me know how you do by posting a comment. Have fun!
Pi Day Challenge 2011 | Pi Day Challenge
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