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From Measuring the Circle to Calculating π

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A History of Algorithms

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Abstract

Well before Archimedes showed how to work out the circumference of a circle, empirical values had been used for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, which we call π. The quotation from the Bible suggests that it might be taken to be 3, and the Rhind Papyrus indicates that the Egyptians considered it could be estimated as equal to 4.(1 - 1/9)2=3.16... We should, however, be careful to avoid any error at this stage: there is no way that π can ever be considered as a number in a formula. Right from the start, it was never written, nor ever thought of, in terms of algebraic expressions. Instead methods of calculations, or ‘algorithms’ were devised, which were set out using the language of the times.

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  1. University of Picardy, France

    Jean-Luc Chabert

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  1. University of Picardy, France

    Jean-Luc Chabert

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Chabert, JL. (1999). From Measuring the Circle to Calculating π. In: Chabert, JL. (eds) A History of Algorithms. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18192-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18192-4_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-63369-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-18192-4

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