Let’s take a peek into the fabulous, mystical world of Pi.

The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio between a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

Approximately π is equal to 3.14159. The number π appears in many formulae across mathematics and physics. Pi has been known for 4000 years and was originally discovered by the ancient Babylonians who calculated the area of a circle by taking 3 times the square of its radius, which gave a value of pi = 3.

The Rhind Papyrus (ca.1650 BC) gives the insight into the mathematics of ancient Egypt.the Egyptians calculated the area of a circle by a formula that gave the approximate value of 3.1605 for π found around the same time as the Babylonians.

The first calculation of π was done by Archimedes (287–212 BC), one of the greatest mathematicians of the ancient world. Even though he did not get pi’s real value, he found that π is between 3 1/7 and 3 10/71.

Later new ideas from 3 mathmatical superpowers of the time i.e. China, India and Persia changed the world. First Chinese mathematicians, used a method similar to Archimedes and bought down to 3.1416 with is almost equal to pi. Then around 200 years later other Chinese mathematicians bought it to 6 digits i.e. 3.14159 which was a new record set for 800 years. In this period of 800 years no did anything of pi because of how complex that number system was. How ever this changed when Indians limited to 10 symbols and a place value notation in some time around 400AD. This number system rapidly spread to Persia where another key idea came from, algebra. Although it was originally developed by Babylonians and Greeks it was established by Persian mathematicians. For mathematicians who were working on pi, used it to turbo charge their work. Then in 1630 the most accurate estimate of pi using a similar method of Archimedes and Chinese mathematicians was achieved and it bought on the first 38 digits of pi.
Then, another method of finding pi by using infinite series was founded India and then was independently rediscovered in Europe and later spread across the entire world. In 1719 a mathematician who used this method to find the first 112 digits of pi then as new infinite series were made computers came up making it much easier. The current record is around the first 221/222 digits of pi.

By Divith Padmanabha (Grade9, green house)

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