Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: gundog

In everyday calculations not requiring much precision, 3.14159 is sufficient for getting answers that are ‘close enough’.

But when you’re dealing with astronomical numbers measured in parsecs or light years, then those extra added digits become quite relevant to your equations.....................


13 posted on 06/26/2024 6:03:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies ]


To: Red Badger

You rarely, effectively never, know any of he quantities in an astronomical calculation to more than about 10 decimal places. π was likely one of the physical constants used to calculate the astronomical quantity. I cannot use a constant to calculate the value of a variable, and then turn around and use the result to calculate pi.

Google says that π is known to 105 trillion decimal places, far more than would be useful for any practical physical problem.


22 posted on 06/26/2024 6:18:12 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (לעזאזל עם חמאס)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies ]

To: Red Badger
...the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter...

That’s rational enough for me. I’ve accepted it, and moved on.

I say we raise a generation of Indian kids on base 12 mathematics, and let them figure it out.

25 posted on 06/26/2024 6:22:08 AM PDT by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson