In many areas of work, branches of science and disciplines, including astrophysics and statistics, the number pi is relevant and useful.
The number pi is a mathematical constant known and used on a universal scale that owes its name and symbol to a Greek letter linked to terms that refer to the perimeter and periphery of a circular figure. William Jones and Leonhard Euler were among the first mathematicians to give the current identity to this very famous irrational number which, throughout history, has also been popularized under the names of Ludolph's constant (as a tribute to the German Ludolph van Ceulen ) and Archimedean constant .
People who carry out tasks related to the fields of engineering , astronomy , physics or mathematics are used to working with this value which, within Euclidean geometry , marks a relationship that encompasses the length and diameter of a circle. .
3.141592… is the beginning of the number pi , which in addition to being part of the set of irrational numbers is classified as a transcendent number . It is interesting to know that, with knowledge of trigonometry , it is possible to achieve infinite series for this constant through the expansion of inverse trigonometric functions .
Importance of the number pi
The importance of the number pi dates back to ancient times, it remains intact today and the passage of time will not fade it because it is a piece of information that is as useful as it is revolutionary.
It cannot be overemphasized that experts from Ancient Rome , Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt , as well as scholars from the period called Classical Antiquity , were already experimenting with this value. Archimedes , in order to establish the best possible approximations, implemented a simple method based on polygons. Unlike this Greek, the Roman engineer, writer and architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio appealed to the measurement of the distance that, in one revolution, a wheel whose diameter has been previously calculated travels. The work developed by the Greek mathematician Claudius Ptolemy also added a fractional figure by approximation.
In short, there were a large number of researchers who struggled to find a way to deduce the correct measurement of a circle . This information, complemented with other skills, led to the multiplication of notions of cosmology , the development of increasingly better tools and optimal harvest planning.
Every March 14 (taking into account that it is the third month of the year) Pi Day is commemorated, remembering on that day the history, applications and importance of that irrational number.
Since then there are dozens of activities and areas that require the use or application of this precise number to make everything from a clock or a wheel to revealing the length of rivers or delving into the particularities of DNA molecules .
Properties, calculations and connections
By focusing attention on the history, distinctive features and scope of the number pi, enriching data emerges about the mathematical properties, the connections within science and the calculations that arise with it as an intervening element.
Knowledge about a wide variety of concepts and resources is required to understand what role pi plays in quantum mechanics, probability theory , or particle physics , for example. You also have to study a lot if the idea is to calculate pi focusing on the infinite Leibniz series or work with the Borwein algorithm , to add references.
This structure of endless decimals is also linked to the flight of aircraft that cover considerable distances. Experts, to achieve accuracy when deducing how much fuel they will need, must calculate the arc length of a circle since, taking into account the Earth , the plane's trajectory traces an arc associated with a circular figure.
Many mathematicians, throughout history, have investigated and added approximations and precisions around the number pi.
The number pi as a cultural symbol
The number pi has crossed the borders of calculations and has positioned itself as a cultural symbol with a presence in numerous artistic disciplines, for example. He has become so relevant that there is even a day in his honor.
This is every March 14 , a date that has been declared as the International Day of the number pi since, honoring the digits, it is the moment of the calendar that indicates that the third month of the year (3) is fourteen (14) long. days: on US soil, since the months are mentioned first, it is noted as 3/14 . For greater precision, the peak of this event popularly called Pi Day comes at 1:59 AM because this continues the most popular of all existing mathematical constants .
There are, likewise, books that, in one way or another, give visibility to the number pi . Sometimes they are educational publications with pedagogical material, but in fiction it is also used as inspiration. Miguel Ángel Checa , to indicate a specific case, has created a thriller titled "The murderer of the number pi" .
The seventh art is another source of entertainment where this famous number finds space. The film directed by Darren Aronofsky, which in Spanish has been called "Pi, the order of chaos" is clear evidence.
For decorative purposes, paintings, pillows, sheets, sculptures, curtains and paintings are often created that show off the pi symbol. Another curiosity linked to him? At an international level, there is competition to hold the record of the person capable of memorizing the greatest number of digits belonging to the number pi .