Passionate about Pi: Celebrating International Day of Mathematics at LUMS

March 14 has become a day of celebration for mathematics enthusiasts and pie lovers alike across the globe (Pi—the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, is approximated as 3.14159). The Maths enthusiasts at the LUMS Students’ Mathematics Society in collaboration with the Department of Mathematics, Syed Babar Ali school of Science and Education (SBASSE) celebrated the International Day of Mathematics - a fun-filled day with eight mathematical stalls, a zombie seminar and a documentary to cap it all off.

Aimed at making Mathematics a part of the daily conversations by promoting awareness and understanding of the subject as well as showcasing its conceptional beauty, the day was an excellent opportunity for mathematicians, students, educators, and enthusiasts to come together and share their passion for the subject and inspire others. The Academic Block became the setting for the event with the running theme of ‘Math for Everyone’.

Five Interactive stalls engaged the audience in different fun activities. While the Pi Recital one tested the audience's ability to flawlessly recite the first 167 digits of Pi, the Chess Puzzles’ stall had the students competing to solve the challenges in the minimum time. Another activity at the Mathematics of Cake Cutting led students demonstrate the best way to cut a cake so that the minimum surface area was exposed, preventing the leftovers from drying when stored in the refrigerator. The stall, ‘Pose with Einstein’ was a great hit – visitors took pictures standing alongside a life-sized cut-out of the famous physicist and posted on social media platforms.

Later in the day, a seminar titled, “Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse” by Dr. Adnan Khan, Associate Professor, SBASSE and an expert in the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, was held. Dr. Khan explored the fascinating connection between mathematics and zombie outbreaks and how mathematical models can be used to understand the spread of infectious diseases. The discussion revolved around mathematical modeling of epidemics, the role of social behaviour in disease transmission, and the potential consequences of a zombie outbreak. The day concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, commemorating the International Day of Mathematics, and screening of a documentary on Albert Einstein.