Disney Imagination Campus Blog
Why is the Number Pi Important in Theme Park Design?
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How did you and your students celebrate National Pi Day on March 14th?
Many people enjoy celebrating National Pi Day by eating a slice of pie.
Not only do the two words sound alike, but the dessert pie is also a great representation of the mathematical principles behind pi. Since pies are generally created in a circular shape, you can use the number pi to help determine the size of your dessert pie.
The symbol π is used to represent the number pi.
Pi is defined as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter and is a mathematical constant equal to approximately 3.14.
In other words, the circle's circumference is approximately 3.14 times bigger than the diameter. So about 3.14 lines the length of the circle's diameter would equal the circle's circumference. This knowledge can help mathematicians learn other important information about the circle, such as calculating its area.
You may not have realized how important the number pi is when it comes to theme park design.
We sat down with Engineering Services Manager, Angel Price to learn more about how pi is more than just a tasty treat for our engineers. She shared that the Mad Tea Party at Magic Kingdom Park and Alien Swirling Saucers at Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios both have pi applications.
Engineers regularly use pi as a critical component to provide exact solutions to their calculations.
Read more to learn how the number pi is used in theme park design.
If you and your students want to learn more about how pi and other formulas are implemented in our Disney Parks every day, check out our Disney Imagination Campus programs!