This book documents the history of pi from the dawn of mathematical time to the present. One of the beauties of the literature on pi is that it allows for the inclusion of very modern, yet accessible, mathematics. The articles on pi collected herein fall into various classes. First and foremost there is a selection from the mathematical and computational literature of four millennia. There is also a variety of historical studies on the cultural significance of the number. Additionally, there is a selection of pieces that are anecdotal, fanciful, or simply amusing. For this new edition, the authors have updated the original material while adding new material of historical and cultural interest. There is a substantial exposition of the recent history of the computation of digits of pi, a discussion of the normality of the distribution of the digits, and new translations of works by Viete and Huygen.

Pi: A Source Book

Science & Math

Borwein, Jonathan

Borwein, Peter

Berggren, J.L.

Mathematics

Springer

After an introduction to the geometry of polynomials and a discussion of refinements of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, the book turns to a consideration of various special polynomials. Chebyshev and Descartes systems are then introduced, and Müntz systems and rational systems are examined in detail. Subsequent chapters discuss denseness questions and the inequalities satisfied by polynomials and rational functions. Appendices on algorithms and computational concerns, on the interpolation theorem, and on orthogonality and irrationality round off the text. The book is self-contained and assumes at most a senior-undergraduate familiarity with real and complex analysis.

Polynomials and Polynomial Inequalities (Graduate Texts in Mathematics, 161)

Erdelyi, Tamas

...this new edition of a definitive source book on pi contains a surprising amount of the most important mathematics that contribute to the unfolding of pi, plus a complete history.

Berggren, Lennart

Springer, Verlag

This introduction to computational number theory is centered on a number of problems that live at the interface of analytic, computational and Diophantine number theory, and provides a diverse collection of techniques for solving number- theoretic problems. There are many exercises and open research problems included.

Computational Excursions in Analysis and Number Theory (CMS Books in Mathematics)

Computers & Technology

Computer Science

How do we recognize that the number . 93371663 . . . is actually 2 IoglQ(e + 7r)/2 ? Gauss observed that the number 1. 85407467 . . . is (essentially) a rational value of an elliptic integral-an observation that was critical in the development of nineteenth century analysis. How do we decide that such a number is actually a special value of a familiar function without the tools Gauss had at his disposal, which were, presumably, phenomenal insight and a prodigious memory? Part of the answer, we hope, lies in this volume. This book is structured like a reverse telephone book, or more accurately, like a reverse handbook of special function values. It is a list of just over 100,000 eight-digit real numbers in the interval [0,1) that arise as the first eight digits of special values of familiar functions. It is designed for people, like ourselves, who encounter various numbers computationally and want to know if these numbers have some simple form. This is not a particularly well-defined endeavor-every eight-digit number is rational and this is not interesting. However, the chances of an eight digit number agreeing with a small rational, say with numerator and denominator less than twenty-five, is small. Thus the list is comprised primarily of special function evaluations at various algebraic and simple transcendental values. The exact numbers included are described below. Each entry consists of the first eight digits after the decimal point of the number in question.

A Dictionary of Real Numbers

Reference

Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Wadsworth & Brooks

This book aims to shine a light on some of the issues of mathematical creativity. It is neither a philosophical treatise nor the presentation of experimental results, but a compilation of reflections from top-caliber working mathematicians. In their own words, they discuss the art and practice of their work. This approach highlights creative components of the field, illustrates the dramatic variation by individual, and hopes to express the vibrancy of creative minds at work. Mathematicians on Creativity is meant for a general audience and is probably best read by browsing.

Mathematicians on Creativity (Spectrum)

Liljedahl, Peter

Zhai, Helen

American Mathematical Society

Polynomials and Polynomial Inequalities (Graduate Texts in Mathematics)

Computational Excursions in Analysis and Number Theory

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