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Article: [pi]: the chronicle.
- Article from:
- Australian Mathematics Teacher
- Article date:
- December 22, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 The Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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(circa) 3000 BC, Egypt
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The pyramids are built. The sides and heights of the pyramids of Cheops and of Sneferu at Gizeh are constructed in the ratio 11:7. Hence:
1/2 x perimeter/height = 22/7 = 3.142857
2000 BC, Egypt. The Rhind papyrus, oldest mathematical document in existence, gives the following rule for constructing a square having the same area as a given circle:
Cut 1/9 off the circle's diameter and construct a square on the remainder.
This gives: [pi] = [(16/9).sup.2] = 3.1604 ...