Do you know what Pi is?
It’s a super famous – and super LONG – number in maths.
We even have a day to celebrate it every year!
It’s called Pi Day and it happens on 14 March, because the date (3.14) is the same as the first few digits of Pi. 😉
But Pi Day isn’t just about numbers, it’s also a chance for people who love maths to… show off what they can do!
This year, a 10-year-old memory master named Alberto Davila Aragon, amazed everyone by breaking the world record for the most decimal places of Pi recalled in 1 minute.
He remembered 280 digits of Pi, wow. 🤯
Alberto, from Bristol, UK, explained how it all started:
“In March 2024, my school organized an exciting Pi digits competition with an amazing prize: the chance to pie our Headmaster in the face!
“Determined to win, I went home and committed myself to memorizing as many digits of Pi as I could.
“I emerged as the winner of the competition, having memorized an impressive 150 digits of Pi. The moment finally arrived when I got to pie our Headmaster […]!
“It was an exhilarating experience, and I'm grateful to our Headmaster for creating such a fun and inspiring challenge that motivated me to test my memory skills.”
Would you pie your Headmaster in the face, given the opportunity? 🤪
And this was just the start of Alberto's record-breaking journey…
After his first big success, he didn’t stop there. He kept practising, learning even more digits of Pi and getting faster and faster.
Before long, he was ready to go for the world record!
For the big day of the attempt, his parents helped make it all happen. They contacted:
- Bristol University to find a mathematician 🧑🏫
- Local sports clubs to find official timekeepers ⏱️
- A professional witness to make sure everything was fair 🤓
“Then, we wanted an iconic location for this record, one that was significant to me,” Alberto told us.
“From the [Clifton] observatory, the view of the iconic suspension bridge is amazing – I cross that bridge every day on my journey to school.
“I love school, and I’m also a great student – just a bit chatty, according to my teachers!”
Do you like school? What is your favourite subject?
For the attempt, Alberto was blindfolded, with a whistle used to mark both the start and the end of the timing.
“It was a very windy day in Bristol,” he said, “but since everything was confirmed, we carried on with the event.”
Alberto loves music and singing, so he used rhythms and patterns to help him remember all the digits of Pi, and special breathing techniques to help him say the numbers faster without getting tired. 😪
“[It] has been an exciting challenge, and I believe anyone, regardless of age, can attempt to break [this record].
“Through this experience, I’ve discovered the incredible benefits of sharpening memory skills.”
How good is YOUR memory? Take on this emoji record challenge to find out!
Alberto is super proud of his record title and wants to inspire others to pursue their dreams:
“I hope my journey inspires others to take on this challenge and sharpen their memory skills.
“Who knows, with some luck and a good-natured Headmaster, they might even get the chance to pie someone in the face too.”
Well, let’s just hope the Headmaster enjoyed the pie! 🤪
