By Xavier Lam
Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to it’s diameter. No matter the size of the circle this ratio will always stay the same. The special characteristic of pi is that it is an irrational number and cannot be written as a fraction. The decimal form of Pi (approximately 3.14) never end or becomes repetitive, which is why pi is also represented using π, the Greek letter for p.
What Is Pi Used For?
Pi has many uses. Pi is most commonly used in certain computations regarding circles. Along with relating circumference and diameter, it can also connect the diameter or radius of a circle with the area of the circle. Pi has is used in a variety of fields such as in calculations for building and construction, quantum physics, music theory, and medical procedures. NASA uses pi regularly in order to calculate space flight trajectories.
The Origin of Pi
The first uses of pi actually date back to more than 4,000 years ago. In 2000 B.C., ancient Egyptians and Babylonians recognized its significance. They knew every circle had the same circumference to diameter ratio and had their own numerical approximations for the value of pi. Later on, ancient Greek mathematicians would improve these approximations, and by the 20th century we would have close to 500 known digits of pi. Now with the help of computers, an astonishing six billion digits are now known
Personally, I think that pi is a very interesting number due to its novelty and many uses.
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