Firing a shotgun to calculate the approximate value of π

This mathematics paper broadens the old definition of “a shotgun approach” to solving a problem: “A Ballistic Monte Carlo Approximation of π,” Vincent Dumoulin [pictured here], Félix Thouin, arXiv 1404.1499v2, April 8, 2014. (Thanks to investigator Marcus Sprenkel for bringing this to our attention.) The authors, at the University of Montreal, report: “We compute a […]

Kate Bush’s pi

Perhaps you are familiar with the number pi. Perhaps you are familiar with the singer/composer Kate Bush. Perhaps, if so, you are familiar with the song pi composed and sung by singer/composer Kate Bush. The song lyrics include, mainly, a fair number of the first digits of the number. Here it is and they are:

Speedy pi

Investigator Kurt Godden writes: You might enjoy this YouTube of my daughter reciting the 1st 500 digits of pi in 90 seconds. EDITOR’S NOTE: If you prefer more digits, presented slowly, click here to see Stephanie Godden do that: Part 1; Part 2; and the reaction.