The Pie Machine 314159
The modern Pie Machine 314159, November, 2007
The Pie Machine 314159 is a state-of-the-art virtual pie-baking machine running sophisticated Mathematica (v. 6.0.3.0) software. It has been programmed by our staff of highly trained mathematicians to bake virtual pies specifically for the AFL Dave's Mom's Thanksgiving Pie Thanksgiving-Pie-Guessing-Contest.
PM314159 has been programmed to make a random choice of pies from its vast database of recipes, a process we refer to as baking virtual pies. If it is necessary to go into Sudden Death Pie Overtime, the PM314159 will bake additional virtual pies as needed. Refer to the Pie Guessing Rules for details. Note that the PM3314159 is allergic to Pumpkin and Cherry, and will not virtually bake those flavors.
An early model Pie Machine, c. 1993
The PM314159 has also been programmed to emit Virtual Pie Utterances. When the Pie Utterance program is launched, the PM314159 will choose a random integer n within a suitable range determined by our Chief Mathematician. The PM314159 will then compute a decimal expansion of Pi, from which it will take a sequence of 3 digits beginning with the nth digit. The PM314159 will then virtually utter (i.e., print) "pie" this number of times. For example, if the randomly chosen integer is 4, the PM314159 will virtually utter "pie" 159 times (using the fourth, fifth, and sixth digits of Pi, 159). This is only an example. Our Chief Mathematician enjoys large numbers, so the PM314159 will most likely use digits from ridiculously far out in the decimal expansion of Pi. It won't be anything as wimpy as the fourth through sixth digits.
Helen Read