Drexel dragonThe Math ForumDonate to the Math Forum

Ask Dr. Math

Middle School Archive


This page:
  pi checkmark

  Dr. Math

See also the
Dr. Math FAQ:
  Pi = 3.14159...

Internet Library:

  pi day


About Math

   factoring expressions
   graphing equations

   factoring numbers


     conic sections/
   3D and higher



Number Sense
   factoring numbers
   negative numbers
   prime numbers
   square roots

Word Problems

Browse Middle School Pi

Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Accuracy in Measurement [02/08/2002]

Calculating Pi - Brent-Salamin Algorithm [05/11/2000]
Can you show me a simple method to calculate pi accurately to an arbitrary number of digits?

Facts about Pi [03/09/1997]
What are some interesting facts about pi?

Finding Pi: Buffon's Needle Method [1/31/1996]
I was hoping to find a surprising way of finding pi using a needle and parallel lines...

Formula for Pi [6/28/1995]
I would like to know the formula for Pi that was used to calculate out to the bazillionth digit for the memory contests.


Pi is a Constant [4/22/1995]
A couple of weeks ago I got the first 21500 digits of PI by Infobot@Infomania.com. As an example for internet-capabilities I showed it to some friends. One of them told me the exact result of PI depends on the extent of the circle diameter. This can't possibly be right, can it? And are there different ways of calculating PI?

Questions about Pi [12/5/1995]
Why does pi repeat so much, and can you write it out for me?

Radius of a Pizza [8/27/1996]

Teaching Pi [03/04/1997]
How can I teach my students where 3.141592... comes from and then let them experiment with it?

Two Unusual Ways of Estimating Pi [03/24/1997]
I'm looking for two unusual ways of getting pi that don't have anything to do with circles or spheres.

What is Pi? [03/02/1997]
Is it a number, an equation, or what?

What is the Value of Pi? [6/19/1995]
What is the value of pi? What is the square root of pi?


Why Pi? [01/25/2001]
Why do we use pi when we calculate the circumference and area of a circle?

2000 Decimals of Pi [6/8/1995]
What are the first 2000 decimals of pi?

Activities to Find Pi [10/07/1998]

Alabama legislature and pi [04/15/1998]


Approximating Pi using Geometry [08/12/1998]



Buffon's Needle: a Proof [08/13/1997]
I have known the Buffon's needle problem for the last 28 years and have yet to come across its theoretical proof.

CADAEIBFEC and Other NCTM Questions [10/27/1998]

Calculating Any Digit of Pi [05/16/2000]
Is there a formula that gives any digit of pi without calculating the preceding digits?


The Circumference of a Circle [11/4/1995]
Calculating pi.

Contradiction in definition of pi? [08/09/1997]
How can circumference (a finite, rational number) divided by diameter a finite, rational number) give a number that is irrational?

Count Buffon's Needle [05/21/1997]
Draw a series of parallel lines a distance d apart on a piece of paper. Drop a stick of length l on the paper n times. If the stick crosses a line s times, the value of pi can be found from the equation s/n = 2*l/pi*d. Where does this equation come from?

Deriving Pi [05/10/2001]

Determining the Value of Pi [8/5/1996]
Is Pi the circumference of a circle divided by the radius?

Digits of Pi [6/14/1996]
How many digits of the ratio "pi" have we figured out, and what are they? Is it endless? How did people figure it out?

Does Pi Equal 3.14? [01/27/1998]
We use pi as 3.14. How can this be right?

Egyptian Equivalent of Pi [05/15/2003]


Explorations of the Circle [02/09/1999]


Finding Pi [11/14/1997]
What is the quickest algorithm for finding pi?

Finding Pi [2/8/1996]
Why is pi 3.14?

Formulas Regarding Radio Waves [11/17/2004]

Page:  1  2 [next>]

Search the Dr. Math Library:

Search: entire archive just Middle School Pi

Find items containing (put spaces between keywords):
Click only once for faster results:


parts of words whole words

[Privacy Policy] [Terms of Use]


© 1994-2015 Drexel University. All rights reserved.