Science

pi

can anyone explain in simple terms why the decimals of pi appear to go on indefinately..?...then i ll let you into my little secret that there are a finite number.

xerus Mon 23/06/08 10:00

<< Previous

Next >>

Subscribe to question

Post an Answer

brian j john
Mon 23/06/08
11:37

pi is an irrational number it cannot be expressed as a fraction

squarebear
Mon 23/06/08
11:38

Ah but you forget that xerus is our resident 96% genius.

Aquagility
Mon 23/06/08
11:40

Sorry, pi can only be expressed as a fraction. It is 22/7

Tichfield
Mon 23/06/08
11:41

Pi is also a trancendental number, of course.

22/7? Not quite, but sort of close.

brian j john
Mon 23/06/08
11:41

PS

the more decimal places used in the calculation then the more accurate the answer will be

ChuckFickens
Mon 23/06/08
12:00

it's been calculated to more than a trillion decimal places, billions can be done on any home computer these days!

shylock73
Mon 23/06/08
12:03

OK, that`s near enough for me.

squarebear
Mon 23/06/08
13:12

Go on then oh Xerus solve one of mathematic's oldest mysteries with your genius.

ChuckFickens
Mon 23/06/08
13:14

he will probably 96% solve it!!

dundurn
Mon 23/06/08
23:34

I prefer 355/113 to 22/7 - it's accurate to 6 decimal places. I know a lot of calculators have a pi key these days but when you're working with pencill and paper...........

kempie
Mon 23/06/08
23:45

... I use 21.991148575128552669238503683 / 7

xerus
Tue 24/06/08
10:53

Question Author

brian j john...you are on the right lines...tiny bit of lateral thinking from you and you will be there.
PPPPPPPPPLease 22/7 is an APPROXIMATION shout that at your teacher today!!!!!

squarebear
Tue 24/06/08
10:55

Go on then oh might genius. Enlighten us.

ll_billym
Tue 24/06/08
11:28

** holds breath **

sp1214
Tue 24/06/08
14:33

Because Pi x D = circumference of a circle. So if you were travelling round the circle the calculation of distance travelled would stop when you arrive back at the starting point to start your second revolution.

squarebear
Tue 24/06/08
16:16

But that's like saying if I make a car journey and I get to one third of the way to my destination I have travelled 33.33333333% of the way. The 3s are infinite and don't just end because I am about to set off again.

sp1214
Tue 24/06/08
22:23

Your supposition only holds true if less than 1 revolution of the circle is made. As soon as the second revolution starts then all calculations restart. Otherwise you would never be able to continue past the first lap. I agree this points to an error in the formula according to the real distance - calculated difference (according to pi). This error will decrease but will always exist.

squarebear
Tue 24/06/08
22:37

So you are saying that a third is not .3333 recurring? Somewhere the threes stop? This simply isn't true.

sp1214
Wed 25/06/08
11:25

I'm applying my argument to a real life situation round a circular track. To work out the distance travelled in 1 revolution it would be pi x dia. However the milometer would show a finite fixed distance for that lap. The difference between the calculated distance by the formula and the actual distance would be the error.

I am not talking about other situations.

xerus
Wed 25/06/08
11:30

Question Author

come on brian j john....i m sure it will be you....but wait you who mentioned the uni of tokyo, engage lateral thinking....sorry no more clues...i know you can do it....if i must enlighten then i will set a deadline of say july 20 (midnight)

Post an Answer

Submit the above question and answers

add to del.icio.us	add to digg	add to furl
add to reddit	add to Technorati	add to Blinklist
add to StumbleUpon	add to squidoo	add to ma.gnolia
add to Cocomment	add to Netscape	add to Fark

Most Recent

Most Recently Answered

All Unanswered

All Answered