We have one fact and one amusing story for you today. First, the fact…
In the last Pi Fact post we mentioned Plato’s fairly accurate approximation for pi (\( \sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}\)). The Babylonians and Egyptians too had their own approximations. By 2000 B.C., Babylonians established the constant circle ratio as \(3\frac{1}{8}= 3.125\). The ancient Egyptians arrived at a slightly different value of \(3\frac{1}{7} \approx 3.143\).
Okay, now on to our pi story, courtesy of Prof. Diesl. You must take 3.14 minutes of your day to read this story. It’s about a physician who, in 1897, tried to get Indiana’s state government to pass a bill recognizing his “proof” that the circle can be squared (i.e., that one can construct a square with the same area as given circle using only a compass, straightedge, and a finite number of steps). Here’s the full (short) story:
http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/crd/localgov/second%20level%20pages/indiana_pi_story.htm
Only 9 more days to “epic Pi Day!”
