Pi in the Sky (And Other Places)
November 23, 2021
Pi (π) is the mathematical symbol used to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Or, alternatively, it is how many diameters fit around the pe- riphery of a circle. For at least 4,000 years, people have wondered about the exact value of pi. The Ancient Chinese used three, the Babyloni- ans 3.125, and the Egyptians 3.16049. The reality is that pi’s value is fundamentally unknowable. Beyond the decimal point, its digits march on all the way out to infinity. Not only does this make pi an enigmatic number; historically, it has been a shocking one too. Theologians, not surprisingly, were horrified at the idea of a number that was unknow- able even to God… Read more
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