Galt's Gulch

happy pi day!

Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 1 month ago to Science
4 comments | Share | Flag

all I ever remembered was 3.1415926, and it
served me well. . y'know, this is Saturday;;; enjoy! -- j

SOURCE URL: http://jonathanturley.org/2015/03/14/happy-pi-day-2/#more-88859

Add Comment

FORMATTING HELP

All Comments Hide marked as read Mark all as read

    -
  • Posted by coaldigger 9 years, 1 month ago
    I have always wondered what was so fascinating about Pi. Why would it be surprising that there would be a ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle? I don't get it. Why is this mysterious? When you take a compass and draw a circle you set the radius/diameter and by turning, you inscribe a regular figure. You can make it bigger or smaller but it is still the same shape. Ancient mathematicians didn't ponder this too long until they came up with a ratio. It so happens that the ratio cannot be represented as a fraction with integers but this is no more mysterious than the square root of 2.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
    • Posted by johnpe1 9 years, 1 month ago
      it is, too -- the numbers don't repeat like they do
      in 2's square root . . mysterious and daunting, for
      a kid like me with a slide rule! -- j

      p.s. I'm 66, now, but was 18 then.

      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  

FORMATTING HELP

  • Comment hidden. Undo