On March 14, in science classroom 182, students recited the strings of numbers in pi. With prizes at stake, Aidan Weinberg recited 203 digits of pi. Outside of room 182, the fun of mathematics continued throughout March, with guest speakers Sunil Singh and Zachary Levine featured during Morning Exercises, and the problem of the week was solved in Ethan Levine’s problem-solving class.

March Mathness was created five years ago by the Math Leadership Team, consisting of Middle and Upper School Director of Studies Sven Carlsson, Assistant Principal Ruth Jurgensen, Lower and Intermediate School Director of Studies Barbara Hunt, and Upper School Math Teacher Wendy Olt. “We thought the school has always done an amazing job highlighting all of the humanities at Parker, but we haven’t had as many public events in math,” Olt said. “We thought: what if we created an event to get excitement about math?”

The guest speakers this year are Sunil Singh and Zachary Levine. Sunil Singh is the author of “Pi of Life: The Hidden Happiness of Mathematics” and “Math Recess: Playful Learning for the Age of Disruption.”  Zachary Levine is the Director of Table Games Analytics for MGM Resorts International. “We had the visiting scientist and the visiting poet,” Olt said. “This is a way to have a visiting mathematician.”

This year, Mathematician Eugenia Cheng, who had presented during March Mathness the previous two years, did not return to Parker to speak during MX. She recently published a new book about logic in the context of current events and is talking at various events about the book. March Mathness Morning Exes did not fit into her schedule, but she will return for an informal discussion about math with upper schoolers during their U-Lunch and H2 block, and she may be present at Morning Ex next year.

Sunil Singh visited Parker on Monday, March 11. After arriving at 8:00, Singh spoke with parents in the Library. During a MX for grades 5-12, he introduced problems and concepts to students such as adding up the numbers one through ten with a trick and why four minus one can equal five. Singh spoke with the fourth grade in the library and ended his day having lunch working with faculty in a workshop.

Zachary Levine visited Parker on Monday, March 18. He visited his brother Ethan Levine’s problem-solving class, spoke during MX, and talked with high school students in the math atrium during U-Lunch. As the Director of Table Games Analytics MGM Resorts International, Zachary Levine works in a team of three to use data from the casino floors to make recommendations on how to improve business in that casino. “My favorite thing about math is the number of places in the world it can be applied,” Levine said, “everything from business to sports.”

Before working at MGM, he was a baseball statistics writer for the Houston Chronicle and Baseball Prospectus. “My favorite thing about my job is getting to turn something like math that’s been an academic passion of mine from the time I was in kindergarten and maybe before into a way to make a full time living,” Levine said.

Each week, the problem of the week was sent out in the “This Week At Parker” and solved in Ethan Levine’s Applied Topics: Problem Solving class. Additionally, those who solved the problem on their own or with their family were encouraged to send pictures of them solving the problem along with their answer and reasoning to [email protected].

Events during the month such as Pi Day and Morning Exercises are not only meant for students but also for faculty. “I want students to see fun, cool, and surprising things about math,” Carlsson said. “I also want to push my own understanding of math and I want to see some cool problems that make me think.”

Sophomore Aidan Weinberg successfully recited 203 digits of pi. He began at Parker during his freshman year and participated in the competition, reciting around 80 digits. This year, he began practicing around finals using an app. When he was up to recite, he had already recited 200 digits and was asked to guess another, which he guessed correctly. He guessed another, and then another, making the number of digits 203. “I’m still more excited about the 3 digits I completely guessed after my 200 than I am about winning,” Weinberg said.

“I want to challenge students to be open to March Mathness,” Carlsson said. “Whether or not students think of themselves as a mathematician, everyone applies logic, reasoning, generalization, abstraction and all these things in their daily life.”