by Flixy Coote
Pi. A mathematical term used in many, many different formulas and equations both in maths and physics. One of the main things that springs to mind when we discuss maths. But what really is it? What is the purpose of it? How was it made up?
Pi is what is known as a mathematical constant, it is a number that goes on for infinity and does not have a repeating pattern. The start of it goes like this 3.14159265358, it is what scientists call an infinite decimal because after the decimal point the numbers(digits) go on forever. The number is rounded up to 3.14. Google has confirmed that they have managed to compute pi to 31.4 trillion decimal places, breaking a Guinness world record! But this also means that pi is still being calculated.
Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. No matter what size your circles is it applies, the ratio will always equal pi. The formula for the circumference of a circle is 2𝛑r or 𝛑d. Pi is also used in other formulas including surface area, radius and diameter. It is also used in physics equations.
Pi comes from the ancient Greek word, perimetros which means circumference. Pi is also a letter in the Greek alphabet. The symbol for it is 𝛑. It was first discovered by the Ancient Egyptians in 1650BC when they calculated the area of a circle using a formula and took it’s approximate value as 3.1605 for 𝛑. The ancient Babylonians calculated the area of a circle by multiplying three lots of the radius which gave the value of pi=3. The first actual calculation of pi was done by Archimedes of Syracuse, he was one of the greatest mathematicians of time.
Pi is a mathematical term that is used in many different ways and subjects but it is also a number that we will never properly understand and know why it is what it is.
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