scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2143860

Publication date 11 March 2005

decimals of \(\pi\)fast Fourier transform fast multiplication algorithm Newton's algorithm Ramanujan

General histories, source books (01A05) History of number theory (11-03) Evaluation of number-theoretic constants (11Y60)

Review text

Four periods are distinguished in the search of decimals of \(\pi\): Antiquity, guided by practical needs; the next period, very long, until the end of the XIXth century, when this search is for its own sake, i.e., just a game; the XXth century, when the methods are more important than the results; the period after the year 1996, aiming to put in relation the analytic expressions of \(\pi\) with the deep structure of its decimals. An explanation of this itenerary is proposed, leading to the knowledge today of \(1241\cdot 10^9\) decimals of \(\pi\). Some titles of sections: Practical motivations; Two thousands years of expectation; The contribution of series driving Renaissance and after; The computer enters the scene (with special attention to S. Ramanujan); The multiplication algorithm by the Fast Fourier Transform; Newton's algorithm; The approach proposed by Plouffe, Bailey and Borwein; How to reach the \(n\)th digit without knowing the preceding ones; Perspectives and motivations. A list of 25 references is added.

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