[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

I think the Bible got Pi wrong.

Actually, it didn't. When you actually read the full passage about the circumference and width of the brasen sea, you see that the number given for the circumference is the inner rim of the sea, but the diameter is given for the outer rim of the sea - which was two "hands" (about 1/4 of a cubit) wider than the inner diameter. When you subtract those two hands, and calculate from the inner diameter, you get a number amazingly close to pi.

[aruanan]

When you subtract those two hands, and calculate from the inner diameter, you get a number amazingly close to pi.

Within a few hundredths.

[21twelve]

Interesting on the “pi in the Bible thing”. First off, let me say that the Bible is NOT a science book. However, it is true, and so it will not contradict science - except of course for the various miracles! But I’ve always noticed the lack of goofy ideas such as the turtle caring the earth, etc. Sometimes of course they need to use the terminology that they have to work with such as “chariots of fire”. Of course we do that too if someone says they saw a “flying saucer”.

I did a quick search on the bowl in the temple and pi thing. Seems to me though that with the description in the text is describing the bowl based on measurements and not calculations. If you gave me a circle (or a bowl), or a picture of it, and I measured the diameter and the cicumference and told you what they were, there is nothing in there that says that I know what pi is. I could build the bowl as well without knowing what pi is. But of course, you could determine what the value of pi is using the formula and dimensions I gave to you.

I always found the story of Creation to be the most interesting. Sounds a lot like the “Big Bang” theory if you ask me!

[donmeaker]

Depending on the width of your two hands.

In fact, if you twiddle with the hands you can get it to an arbitrary degree of accuracy.

But the bible doesn’t tell you how to do that. In fact, the two hands is not determined in the bible. so the bible doesn’t give anything to any amazing degree of accuracy. It gives an ambiguous number, which may, or may not be accurate. Like many prophecies, you can only determine it is accurate after you have decided that it is accurate.