Pi: A Source Book

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A complete history of pi from the dawn of mathematical time to the present, reflecting the most seminal, the most serious and sometimes the silliest aspects of mathematics. Pi is one of the few concepts in mathematics whose mention evokes a response of recognition and interest in those not concerned professionally with the subject. Yet, despite this, no source book on pi has been published. The literature on pi included here falls into three classes: first a selection of the mathematical literature of four millennia, followed by a variety of historical studies or writings on the cultural meaning and significance of the number, and third, a number of treatments on pi that are fanciful, satirical and/or whimsical. Mathematicians and historians of mathematics will find this book indispensable, while teachers at every level from the seventh grade onward will find ample resources for an