FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-48 DAILY FEATURE:

 By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (3.14-2023) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps from Steve Kovacs, it’s all about getting around the mathematics of Pi.       

IRRATIONAL

It is irrational and a constant.  No, not your spouse or friend, rather Pi.

3.14159…

Today we celebrate the ultimate Pi day: March 14, 1592 at 6:53 am.  There will be many more such days in the future.

Pi can simply be expressed as a circle’s circumference divided by its diameter.  Pi is broadly used in many mathematical equations and has utility well beyond circles.

While the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians and Chinese were all well aware of Pi, we give credit to the Greek scientist and mathematician Archimedes for creating a working algorithm to accurately approximate Pi in about 250 BC.

Supercomputers today have Pi nailed down to trillions of digits, with no end in sight.

Archimedes lived in Syracuse, Sicily, which was a rather important outpost of the Greeks at the time.   To honor his hometown, Syracuse’s plan is presented here – created by Blaeu in 1724.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.