Because 3.14 is just a rounded version of pi (to 2 decimal places).
So pi is actually 3.14159265...etc. when 3.14 is just pi rounded to 2 d.p.
+118608 pi is an irrational number and cannot be expressed as a fraction or as a decimal. When expressed as a decimal the digits keep going for ever without any pattern. Hence whenever it is expressed as a fraction or a decimal it is always an approximation.
This may be of interest to some people it is from Wikipedia.
Pi can be calculated in ta number of ways. Here are a couple.
+118608 Please note:
I have put the address for this thread in the sticky note labeled
"Information pages worth keeping or developing"
+128460 Very interesting what Melody said......there is a book by Petr Beckmann entitled "A History of Pi". I don't know if it is still in print, or not, but it is quite fascinating. However, the last half of the book requires some fair knowledge of upper maths!!
One funny note....Many years ago, The State Legislature of Indiana in the US once tried to "legislate" the value of pi!!! Go figure....
+118608 Legislate pi, really!
Now that is funny!
Indiana "Pi" bill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Pi_Bill
+33615 I bought Petr Beckmann's "A History of Pi" on my first visit to the US (a large number of years ago!) and still have it. A fascinating book, not least because of Beckmann's writing style! It still seems to be available on Amazon.
+128460 Thanks, alan....I didn't know if it was still in print, or not....I made it about halfway through the book....but I don't have enough math knowledge for some of the rest of it.....The interesting thing to me is that the "chase" for pi seemed to produce some rather interesting things in other areas, too!!
