A 10-year-old boy from Bristol, Alberto Davila Aragon, has set a new world record for recalling the most decimal places of Pi in just one minute. Aragon memorised and recited an astonishing 280 digits of the mathematical constant, earning a place in the Guinness World Records.
A school competition sparks an obsession
Aragon’s fascination with Pi began in March 2024 when his school organised a Pi digits competition with an unusual and entertaining reward—pieing the headmaster in the face.
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“In March 2024, my school organised an exciting Pi digits competition with an amazing prize: the chance to pie our headmaster in the face! Determined to win, I went home and committed myself to memorising as many digits of Pi as I could,” Alberto told Guinness World Records.
{{/usCountry}}“In March 2024, my school organised an exciting Pi digits competition with an amazing prize: the chance to pie our headmaster in the face! Determined to win, I went home and committed myself to memorising as many digits of Pi as I could,” Alberto told Guinness World Records.
{{/usCountry}}His dedication paid off, and he emerged victorious by reciting 150 digits, securing his moment to pie the headmaster.
"It was an exhilarating experience, and I'm grateful to our headmaster for creating such a fun and inspiring challenge that motivated me to test my memory skills," he added.
A record-breaking journey begins
The school competition was just the beginning for Aragon. Encouraged by his achievement, he continued challenging himself, aiming to memorise even more digits at an increasingly faster pace.
When he decided to go for the world record, his parents stepped in to help organise the attempt. They reached out to Bristol University to find a mathematician, local sports clubs for experienced timekeepers, and a professional witness to validate the feat.
"Then, we wanted an iconic location for this record, one that was significant to me," Alberto explained. "From the [Clifton] Observatory, the view of the iconic suspension bridge is amazing—I cross that bridge every day on my journey to school."
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A love for learning and a historic achievement
Describing himself as a dedicated student—albeit “a bit chatty” according to his teachers—Aragon continued refining his skills.
His accomplishment aligns perfectly with Pi Day, celebrated annually on 14th March (3/14), a nod to the famous mathematical sequence.