Mmm piii..

Last week we did an activity to discover pi. I knew pi was about 3.14, however, I never really understood it's relationship to the diameter and circumference of a circle. I don't think I was ever taught this or, if I once had been told, I forgot. Either way, I found the activity to be helpful.

For the activity we measured both the diameter and circumference of a circle using a string and ruler. We measured different sized circles found randomly in a home or classroom. Some of the things we measured were a white lid, an oatmeal container, a pumpkin tin, a large red button, and a cup. After getting our measurements we divided the diameters by the circumferences and recorded the results. We then proceeded to answer questions on the worksheet and discuss it with the class. The following were some of the questions asked: How do circumference and diameter seem to be related? How are radius and diameter related? How does this tell us that radius and circumference are related?
 In the end I realized that the circumference is  about 3.14 times the length of the diameter. I found the activity to be both engaging and substantial. I would definitely use this activity in the future in my own class.

I found the following video and transcript helpful in regards to the measurements of a circle: What To Know When Measuring Circles