Pi Day 2017—Edinboro University—Thursday, March 30, 2017
Early morning activities 8:30-9:30am:
Busses arrive at Cooper Circle.
Cambridge Springs—8:30-9:00am--Planetarium Show in Cooper
Maplewood-- 8:30-9:00am--Planetarium Show in Cooper
Union City—8:30-9:00am—campus tour (meet at Cooper Circle)
Conneaut—9:00-9:30am-- Planetarium Show in Cooper
Everyone else (McDowell, General McLane, Saegertown, Perseus, Pittsburgh Science, Westinghouse)—go to Ross Hall
9:00-11:45am in Ross Hall:
Math/CS talks, activities, games, and contests in Ross Hall (see next page for details) start at 9:20am
Games and contests:
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pi trivia
memorize the most digits of Pi
tower of Hanoi
SET
fastest Rubik's cube
game of 24
12:45-2: Pogue University Center- Multipurpose Room-- Awards for contests and
Keynote talks
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“Fun with Pi and other forms of irrational fun” -- Dr. Korey Kilburn
Panel discussion on careers in Math/Actuarial/Computer Science—Tim Plonski, Brett Rhodes, Dan Bennett,
Korey Kilburn, Amanda Porter
2pm: Campus tours are available (Cambridge Springs), leave from the Pogue Center
Pi Day 2017 Schedule: Talks (9:20-11:35) and contests (from 9:20-11:35)
Ross 134
Ross 135
Ross 138
Ross 136
Ross 139
Basketball
Madness-Michele
McCarney
What They
Didn't Tell
You in Math
Class-Frank
Marzano
The History of
Numbers-Brandon
Escborn
Pi Trivia
and
Digits of Pi
Contests
Melanie
Baker
Playing
24
Mathematical
Strategies for
Winning at the
Game of SETAnne Quinn
Values of PiRick White
The
Astronomy at
Cooper Hall--
10:1010:30
Rockets: What a
BlastSheldon Bailey
The Horrid,
Awful,
Devastating End
of the World from
the Towers of
Hanoi- Dan
Bennett
10:3510:55
Birthday Pi: An
Introduction to
Algorithms-Amanda Porter
The Radian:
You Spin Me
Right Round,
Baby—
Korey
Kilburn
What’s
wrong with
this
picture?-Larry
Downey
Computer
Science Game
Track Q/A –
Dan Bennett
How to be a
winner!-Nate Adelgren
Career TalksActuarial
Science—
Timothy Plonski
Using
Toothpicks to
Estimate Pi-Roger Wolbert
9:209:40
9:4510:05
11:0011:20
Computer Science
Career Talks-Dave Tucker
11:2511:45
Winning at the
game of
Semaphore on a
3x3 board-Doug Puharic
(9:20-11)
Brad Wolfe
and
Semaphore
Game
Doug
Puharic
Melanie
Baker
24—
contest
Ross 113Math Lounge
Corinne
Schaeffer-- It
is the game
"Who Wants
to be a Piillionare?"
which is
modeled after
the "Who
Wants to be a
Millionaire?"
game
show. Ali
Pearce,
Rachael
Troutman,
Halie Lewis,
and Jordan
Gregor
Hacking 101-Dave Tucker
Ross 027Downstairs
Over the River
and Through
the Woods:
Finding
Shortest
Paths—
John Hoggard
Over the River
and Through
the Woods:
Finding
Shortest
Paths—
John Hoggard
Anne
QuinnSET and
Rubiks
contest
(10:3510:55)
Activities (9:15-11:45am) and contests (9:20-11:35am):
Ross 137—CS lab
Hallway- station 1—by Ross 138
Hallway- station 2 – by Ross 139
Bridge
Game Programming Class- Game Demonstrations
Doug Puharic—games -- Quarto and Tsuro, Zeus on the Loose (math related
card game), Love Letter (Deduction based card game)
Towers of Hanoi – activity and contest (all morning 9:30-11:35am)
Digits of Pi (from 10:10-10:35 only) – Anne Quinn
12:45-2: Pogue University Center- Multipurpose Room-- Awards for contests and Keynote talks


“Fun with Pi and other forms of irrational fun” -- Dr. Korey Kilburn
Panel discussion on careers in Math/Actuarial/Computer Science—Tim Plonski, Brett Rhodes, Dan Bennett,
Korey Kilburn, Amanda Porter
Abstracts of talks
9:20-9:40
Ross 134 Michelle McCarney: Basketball Madness
Your team is down by 2 points in the final seconds of a basketball game. You try for a 3-point shot to win the game, but are
fouled. We will compute the probabilities of a win, loss, or tie. We will also determine whether it was smart for the
opposing team to foul at the buzzer, and will investigate the conditions when fouling at the buzzer in a close game makes
sense. Finally, we will generalize our calculations with an algebraic expression.
Ross 135 Frank Marzano: What They Didn’t Tell You in Math Class
In this talk we examine alternative methods for multiplication and division. In many cases, these methods are easier than
those taught in schools. Math problems normally requiring a calculator can be solved in one or two lines.
Ross 138 Brandon Eschborn: The History of Numbers
How peoples have depicted numbers has changed numerous times throughout the millennia. This talk discusses the various
number systems used over written history, from base 2 to 60.
9:20 – 11:00
Ross 027 (Downstairs) John Hoggard: Over the River and Through the Woods: Finding Shortest Paths
From finding driving directions in a GPS to sending text messages, computers constantly have to find the shortest path over
a network. We’ll learn about a powerful algorithm from the mathematics of graph theory that solves the problem. Then
YOU will take the place of the computer to build a graph and find the shortest path.
9:45-10:05
Ross 134 : Anne Quinn: Mathematical Strategies for Winning at the Game of SET
The game of SET ® is a fast paced game where three cards make a “SET” if, for each attribute, the values on the cards are
either all the same or all different. Each card can be identified by four attributes, each of which has three values: number
(1, 2, 3), color (red, green, purple), symbol (diamond, oval, squiggle), and shading (open, striped, solid). A sample of a “SET”
is seen below.
Many mathematical topics will be discussed (such as combinatorics, expected value, divisibility, modular arithmetic, and
mathematical proof) as we search for the best strategies for winning. Details of this study are available on the research
page at www.setgame.com .
Ross 135: Rick White: What is the Real Value of Pi?
The numerical value of Pi will be calculated using various distance functions, with surprising results.
Ross 138 Brad Wolfe: The Astronomy at Cooper Hall
In this talk we discuss the activities occurring at the observatory in Cooper hall, along with some of the applications of
mathematics in the field of Astronomy.
10:10-10:30
Ross 134: Sheldon Bailey: Rockets, What a Blast!
In 2018 SpaceX plans to send two people on a voyage around the moon and back. This will be accomplished with the use of
a very big rocket. So how does a rocket work? What mathematics and science do we need to build one? We will discuss
these issues as well as how to make a home-built rocket from common household items, culminating with a spectacular
outdoor launch.
Ross 135: Korey Kilburn: The Radian: You Spin Me Right Round, Baby
In this presentation, I will discuss the significance of a radian unit of angle measurement and an Archimedean approach to
calculating the value of Pi. Areas of inscribed and circumscribed regular polygons will be analyzed to conclude an
approximation of Pi. The relationship between a degree and a radian will be discussed.
Ross 138 Dan Bennett: The Horrid, Awful, Devastating End of the world from the Towers of Hanoi and Why this Big
Problem is not such a Big Problem.
In a mystic temple in the distant east there is a large room with 3 posts and 64 golden disks. Priests spend their lives moving
these disks according to a strict set of rules, hoping to complete the puzzle and, according to an ancient legend, bring on
the END OF THE WORLD! In this talk we will explore the puzzle, develop a method for completing the movements, and
predict the end of the world.
10:35-10:55
Ross 134: Amanda Porter: Birthdat Pi: AnIntroduction to Algorithms
We all have a unique string of numbers that identifies us – our birthday! Pi, in its decimal expansion, at some point,
contains our birthday. How do we find the point at which our birthday exists within Pi? Join me as we discuss the steps to
create a program that finds a pattern of numbers within Pi.
Ross 135: Larry Downey: What’s Wrong With This Picture?
We will look at examples of digital images which have “forgeries” within them, and discuss the challenges involved in
trying to detect these forgeries. The field of Digital Image Forensics is a blend of Mathematics and Computer Science!
Ross 138: Dave Tucker: Hacking 101
11:00-11:20
Ross 134: Dave Tucker: Careers in Compuer Science
Ross 135: Dan Bennett: CS Game Track Q&A
Ross 138: Timothy Plonski: Career Talks: Actuarial Science
11:25-11:45
Ross 134: Doug Puharic: Winning at the game of Semaphore on a 3x3 board
Did you play the game Semaphore? Did you lose on the 3x3 board most of the time? If you answered yes to both these
questions, then this presentation is perfect for you. We will discuss a winning strategy for the first player on the 3x3 board.
Sorry, second players need not apply.
Ross 135: Nate Adelgren: How To Be A Winner!
In this talk we'll look at several one and two-player games, study the possible outcomes, and explore mathematical
methods for determining the best possible strategies.
Ross 138: Roger Wolbert: Using Toothpicks to estimate Pi
One of the oldest geometric probability problems is Buffon's Needle problem, which is used approximate the value of
pi. After being presented some background to the problem, students will be engaged in an activity similar to Buffon's
Needle problem to see how close they can come to estimating pi.
Pogue Student Center: Keynote Talks
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1-1:30pm: “Fun with Pi and other forms of irrational fun” -- Dr. Korey Kilburn
1:30-2pm: Panel discussion on careers in Math/Actuarial/Computer Science—Tim Plonski, Brett Rhodes, Dan
Bennett, Korey Kilburn, Amanda Porter