314 = world record?
Date published: 16 March 2011
Pupils cram together and hope their bid for the largest-ever maths lesson adds up to success
PUPILS at North Chadderton School are hoping for a slice of Pi — and record-breaking success.
A total of 314 students — the first three digits of Pi, the ratio of a circle’s diameter to circumference — attempted to break the record for the world’s largest maths lesson.
It started at 1.59pm, the next three digits of the mathematical formula which stays constant despite the circle’s size, on March 14, which is known as world Pi day because the date is written 3/14 in America.
And it ran for 31 minutes and 41 seconds, the first four digits of Pi.
The current Guinness World Record stands at 277 and was set by Saisin Cram School in Nagano, Japan.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham, Councillor David Jones and Jean Jones, officiated at the North Chadderton attempt.
There were also timekeepers from Royton Air Cadets and Oldham Athletic.
It will take Guinness four or five weeks to confirm the record.
Maths co-ordinator Ben Atkins, who took the lesson , said: “Teaching that number of pupils for so long was quite tiring but it was really good.
“It all went well, the pupils seemed to enjoy it and I just hope we have broken the world record.”
