Friday, April 25, 2008

The π Approximation Project -- An Introduction


This is the first post on my new blog, The Pi Approximation Project. The project is to come up with fun, wacky, crazy, bizarre, and interesting approximations for everyone's favorite mathematical constant, π. Pi, as you probably know, is one of the most important constants in mathematics and represents the ratio between a circle's circumference and its diameter.

Everyone is different. And, as a result, not everyone is necessarily happy with simply remembering 3.14 or 22/7 in order to approximate π. Some people would rather have some numbers with additional accuracy (perhaps four or five decimal places instead of only two, which is all that these approximations provide). And some people would rather have an approximation that is catchy, rolls off the tongue, or strikes the eye with conviction. Some people already have an approximation for pi that they like, can remember, and find accurate enough. And even if you are one of those people, it never hurts to explore! It's always fun to discover different ways to look at the same things. Maybe you'll find an approximation that you like even better, one that suits your personality, or just jumps out at you and says, π!

The purpose of this blog is not to find the most accurate approximation, but rather provide you with alternative perspectives on this most extraordinary number.

I hope to make this into a collaborative effort between any and all math-enthusiasts around the world! But that's a bit down the line...for now, enjoy!

Sincerely,
Quentin

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