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# When calculating pi on this calculator, does it calculate the fraction or actual pi?

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When calculating pi on this calculator, does it calculate the fraction or actual pi?

Guest Feb 10, 2015

### Best Answer

#4
+5

Almost certainly the calculator does not calculate Pi. That number is most likely stored in ROM so it can be recalled instantly. It is probably stored to 1 or 2 more significant figures than the display shows.

Guest Feb 10, 2015
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### 4+0 Answers

#1
+1090
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I don't know. The best person to explain that would be be Melody, but they're not on here right now. If you come back later, Melody will have given a definite answer.

Besides, 3.14 is precise enough for most rational calculations.

Mathematician  Feb 10, 2015
#2
+1965
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The calculator does not calculate by the fraction, because I tested it out.... but it also does not calculate by 3.14??? I'm not really sure, but like Mathematician said, you should probably ask Melody!

saseflower  Feb 10, 2015
#3
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Hi anon, Mathematician and Saseflower,

It is nice that you have such confidence in me.

Pi is an irrational number.

This means that it cannot be written exactly as a fraction.

It also means that it cannot be written exactly as a terminating or recurring decimal.

SO any time you see pi written as any kind of number it WILL BE an approximation.

As a fraction is often approximated as 22/7

As a decimal it may be approximated as 3.14 or 3.14159

I shall put it into the web2 calc which can be used straight in this forum.

See the [=calculation e.g. 1+2=3] button above.  I am going to press that and type pi straight into the input box and then press ok.

This is the answer that this calc gives me.  It has 16 decimal places and they are probably all correct but it is still an approximation.  :))

$${\mathtt{\pi}} = {\mathtt{3.141\: \!592\: \!653\: \!589\: \!793\: \!2}}$$

Melody  Feb 10, 2015
#4
+5
Best Answer

Almost certainly the calculator does not calculate Pi. That number is most likely stored in ROM so it can be recalled instantly. It is probably stored to 1 or 2 more significant figures than the display shows.

Guest Feb 10, 2015

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