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π
and related puzzles
2 / 27
Time line I: Ancient period
2 / 27
Time line I: Ancient period
2 / 27
Time line I: Ancient period
2 / 27
Time line I: Ancient period
2 / 27
Time line I: Ancient period
2 / 27
Time to pause and ponder
3 / 27
Time to pause and ponder
sin(x)
lim =1
x→0 x
3 / 27
Time to pause and ponder
sin(x)
lim =1
x→0 x
3 / 27
“Cosine rule” but Pythagoras truly rules!
The oldest, shortest words “yes” and “no” are those which require the most thought. -
Pythagoras
4 / 27
π is a constant.(full stop)
5 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line II
6 / 27
Time line III (a): series expressions for π
7 / 27
Time line III (a): series expressions for π
7 / 27
Time line III (a): series expressions for π
7 / 27
Time line III (a): series expressions for π
7 / 27
Ludolph Van Ceulen:
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288...
8 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: Angle bisector
9 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (I): Upper bound
10 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (II)
Achimedes’ iteration
11 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)
Repeated use of Achimedes’ iteration
OC OA OA
+ =
AC AC AD
OD OA OA
⇒ + =
AD AD AE
12 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)
Repeated use of Achimedes’ iteration
OC OA OA
+ =
AC AC AD
OD OA OA
⇒ + =
AD AD AE
OE OA OA
⇒ + =
AE AE AF
12 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)
Repeated use of Achimedes’ iteration
OC OA OA
+ =
AC AC AD
OD OA OA
⇒ + =
AD AD AE
OE OA OA
⇒ + =
AE AE AF
OF OA OA
⇒ + =
AF AF AG
12 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)
Repeated use of Achimedes’ iteration
OC OA OA
+ =
AC AC AD
OD OA OA
⇒ + =
AD AD AE
OE OA OA
⇒ + =
AE AE AF
OF OA OA
⇒ + =
AF AF AG
12 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)
Repeated use of Achimedes’ iteration
OC OA OA
+ =
AC AC AD
OD OA OA
⇒ + =
AD AD AE
OE OA OA
⇒ + =
AE AE AF
OF OA OA
⇒ + =
AF AF AG
12 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 81 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 18 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
1162 18 OD OA OA
< + =
153 AD AD AE
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 18 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
1162 18 OD OA OA
< + =
153 AD AD AE
1172 18 1162 18 2334 14 OE OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AE AE AF
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 18 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
1162 18 OD OA OA
< + =
153 AD AD AE
1172 18 1162 18 2334 14 OE OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AE AE AF
1
2339 4 2334 14 4673 12 OF OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AF AF AG
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 18 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
1162 18 OD OA OA
< + =
153 AD AD AE
1172 18 1162 18 2334 14 OE OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AE AE AF
1
2339 4 2334 14 4673 12 OF OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AF AF AG
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π (III)(b)
Pythagoras comes to rescue!
571 OC OA OA
< + =
s153 AC AC AD
591 18 (571)2 + (153)2
OD
< <
153 (153)2 AD
1162 18 OD OA OA
< + =
153 AD AD AE
1172 18 1162 18 2334 14 OE OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AE AE AF
1
2339 4 2334 14 4673 12 OF OA OA
+ = < + =
153 153 153 AF AF AG
13 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: upper bound
OA 4673 12 AG 153
As AG > 153 , OA < 4673 21
. Thus,
14 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: upper bound
OA 4673 12 AG 153
As AG > 153 , OA < 4673 21
. Thus,
14 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: upper bound
OA 4673 12 AG 153
As AG > 153 , OA < 4673 21
. Thus,
14 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: upper bound
OA 4673 12 AG 153
As AG > 153 , OA < 4673 21
. Thus,
14 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: upper bound
OA 4673 12 AG 153
As AG > 153 , OA < 4673 21
. Thus,
14 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: Lower bound
15 / 27
Archimedes’ approximation of π: Lower bound
16 / 27
Infinite series era: time line III(a) continues
17 / 27
Infinite series era: time line III(a) continues
t3 t5 t7 t9
arctan(t) = t − + − + + ··· .
3 5 7 9
17 / 27
Infinite series era: time line III(a) continues
t3 t5 t7 t9
arctan(t) = t − + − + + ··· .
3 5 7 9
π 1 1 1 1
= 1 − + − + + ···
4 3 5 7 9
.
17 / 27
Infinite series era: time line III(a) continues
t3 t5 t7 t9
arctan(t) = t − + − + + ··· .
3 5 7 9
π 1 1 1 1
= 1 − + − + + ···
4 3 5 7 9
.
17 / 27
Infinite series era: time line III(a) continues
t3 t5 t7 t9
arctan(t) = t − + − + + ··· .
3 5 7 9
π 1 1 1 1
= 1 − + − + + ···
4 3 5 7 9
.
17 / 27
Time line III (b): series expressions for π
• Useless for 10000 terms are required to get four accurate
digits! To compute 100 digits ”you need to add up more
terms than there are particles in the universe” [Blanter,
page 42].
• In 1706, an English professor of Astronomy, John Machin
x+y
using arctan(x) + arctan(y) = arctan( 1−xy ) found:
18 / 27
Time line III (b): series expressions for π
• Useless for 10000 terms are required to get four accurate
digits! To compute 100 digits ”you need to add up more
terms than there are particles in the universe” [Blanter,
page 42].
• In 1706, an English professor of Astronomy, John Machin
x+y
using arctan(x) + arctan(y) = arctan( 1−xy ) found:
•
π 120 1 1 1
= acrtan( )−acrtan( ) = 4 arctan( )−arctan( ).
4 119 239 5 239
18 / 27
Time line III (b): series expressions for π
• Useless for 10000 terms are required to get four accurate
digits! To compute 100 digits ”you need to add up more
terms than there are particles in the universe” [Blanter,
page 42].
• In 1706, an English professor of Astronomy, John Machin
x+y
using arctan(x) + arctan(y) = arctan( 1−xy ) found:
•
π 120 1 1 1
= acrtan( )−acrtan( ) = 4 arctan( )−arctan( ).
4 119 239 5 239
•
π 1 1 1 1
= 4 − + − + ···
4 5 3(5)3 5(5)5 7(5)7
1 1 1 1
− − + − + ··· .
239 3(239)3 5(239)5 7(239)7
18 / 27
Time line III (b): series expressions for π
• Useless for 10000 terms are required to get four accurate
digits! To compute 100 digits ”you need to add up more
terms than there are particles in the universe” [Blanter,
page 42].
• In 1706, an English professor of Astronomy, John Machin
x+y
using arctan(x) + arctan(y) = arctan( 1−xy ) found:
•
π 120 1 1 1
= acrtan( )−acrtan( ) = 4 arctan( )−arctan( ).
4 119 239 5 239
•
π 1 1 1 1
= 4 − + − + ···
4 5 3(5)3 5(5)5 7(5)7
1 1 1 1
− − + − + ··· .
239 3(239)3 5(239)5 7(239)7
18 / 27
Time line IV: squaring the circle put to rest
19 / 27
Time line IV: squaring the circle put to rest
19 / 27
Time line IV: squaring the circle put to rest
19 / 27
Time line IV: squaring the circle put to rest
19 / 27
Time line IV: squaring the circle put to rest
19 / 27
Time line V(a): π in modern times
20 / 27
Time line V(a): π in modern times
20 / 27
Time line V(a): π in modern times
20 / 27
Time line V(b): Do we need to know any more?
21 / 27
Time line V(b): Do we need to know any more?
21 / 27
Time line V(b): Do we need to know any more?
21 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (I): found infinite products for π
x x
sin(x) = 2sin( )cos( )
2 2
2 x x x
= 2 sin( 2 )cos( )cos( 2 )
2 2 2
22 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (I): found infinite products for π
x x
sin(x) = 2sin( )cos( )
2 2
2 x x x
= 2 sin( 2 )cos( )cos( 2 )
2 2 2
[n-times application yields]
22 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (I): found infinite products for π
x x
sin(x) = 2sin( )cos( )
2 2
2 x x x
= 2 sin( 2 )cos( )cos( 2 )
2 2 2
[n-times application yields]
..
.
x x x x
= 2n sin( n )cos( )cos( 2 ) · · · cos( n )
2 2 2 2
22 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (I): found infinite products for π
x x
sin(x) = 2sin( )cos( )
2 2
2 x x x
= 2 sin( 2 )cos( )cos( 2 )
2 2 2
[n-times application yields]
..
.
x x x x
= 2n sin( n )cos( )cos( 2 ) · · · cos( n )
2 2 2 2
sin(x) sin( 2xn )cos( x2 )cos( 2x2 ) · · · cos( 2xn )
⇒ lim = lim x
n→∞ x n→∞
2n
22 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (I): found infinite products for π
x x
sin(x) = 2sin( )cos( )
2 2
2 x x x
= 2 sin( 2 )cos( )cos( 2 )
2 2 2
[n-times application yields]
..
.
x x x x
= 2n sin( n )cos( )cos( 2 ) · · · cos( n )
2 2 2 2
sin(x) sin( 2xn )cos( x2 )cos( 2x2 ) · · · cos( 2xn )
⇒ lim = lim x
n→∞ x n→∞
2n
22 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (II): found infinite products for π
sin(t)
As limt→0 t = 1, we get
sin(x) x x x
= cos( )cos( 2 )cos( 3 ) · · ·
x 2 2 2
q
Using cos(θ) = 1+cos(2θ)
2 and the above infinite product at
x = π2 ,
23 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (II): found infinite products for π
sin(t)
As limt→0 t = 1, we get
sin(x) x x x
= cos( )cos( 2 )cos( 3 ) · · ·
x 2 2 2
q
Using cos(θ) = 1+cos(2θ)
2 and the above infinite product at
x = π2 ,
√ p √ √
q p
2 2 2+ 2 2+ 2+ 2
= ···
π 2 2 2
23 / 27
Viete-Wallis series (II): found infinite products for π
sin(t)
As limt→0 t = 1, we get
sin(x) x x x
= cos( )cos( 2 )cos( 3 ) · · ·
x 2 2 2
q
Using cos(θ) = 1+cos(2θ)
2 and the above infinite product at
x = π2 ,
√ p √ √
q p
2 2 2+ 2 2+ 2+ 2
= ···
π 2 2 2
23 / 27
Formal and informal references:
Informal References
• Documentaries:
• Math and rise of civilizations:
http://motionpic.com/catalogue/
math-rise-of-civilization-science-docs-documentaries-2/
• BBC: Story of Mathematics: http:
//www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dxjls/episodes/guide
• Websites:
• The history of pi by David Wilson
http://sites.math.rutgers.edu/~cherlin/History/
Papers2000/wilson.html
• Archimedes’ Approximation of Pi
http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/clindsey/mhf4404/
archimedes/archimedes.html
• Euclid’s Elements
https://mathcs.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/
• Wekipedia: Ludolph Van Ceulen’s biography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludolph_van_Ceulen
24 / 27
Formal and informal references:
Formal References
George E. Andrews, Peter Paule. Some questions concerning
computer-generated proofs of a binomial double-sum
identity, J. Symbolic Comput. 16(1993), 147–151.
P. Backman, The history of Pi, The Golem Press. Boulder
Colorado, 1971.
J.L.Berggren, J. , Borwein, P. Borwein, Pi: A Source Book,
Springer, 2004.
D. Blatner, The joy of Pi, Walker Publishing Company, Inc
Newyork, 1997.
F. Cajori, A history of Mathematics, MacMillan and Co.
London, 1926.
Sir T. Heath,A History of Greek Mathematics: From Thales
to Euclid, Volume 1, Dover Publications, inc. Newyork,
1981. 25 / 27
Acknowledgments
26 / 27
Something to carry home!
27 / 27
Something to carry home!
27 / 27
Something to carry home!
27 / 27