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In North Philadelphia, 'Pi Day' Celebrated With Schoolwork -- and Real Pies

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Tomorrow, March 14th (3/14), is International Pi (3.14...) Day, a day to celebrate all things mathematical.

Today, at a North Philadelphia charter school, that celebration of math was being made both fun and delicious.

Students in an eighth-grade math class at the Truebright Science Academy Charter School were measuring edible pies and other round baked goods to demonstrate how pi applies to the circumference of a circle.

"Usually we just give them formulas," says teacher Mary Angel Flores, "but if they see it and touch it, they know how to do it, and they better understand and remember the concept, the skills, for area and circumference."

After the exercises were done, the kids got to eat the pies, cookies, and donuts.

March 14, 2015 (3/14/15) will be the only "Pi Day" this century to mirror the first five digits of pi, 3.1415.

But, Flores points out, that's only the beginning of the story:  "It's an irrational number, so it is not terminating or repeating."

Truebright Science Academy is fighting to continue operating following a vote by the School Reform Commission not to renew its charter beyond the current school year.

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