to me, that simply suggests that shapes themselves have no end....they are compressions of energy....like an ice cube floating in the ocean
2006-08-10 02:44:39 · 15 answers · asked by BRAUNNN 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Pi is a ratio beteween the diameter of a circle and the circumference of a circle. Because it is a ratio, it has the ability to never end. The shapes do end, but the relationships between the different parts of shapes can just not end, resulting in a numbered ratio that does not repeat itself - no regular interval pattern. Get what I'm saying?
2006-08-10 12:38:35 · answer #1 · answered by Linda O'Chuffy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pi is an "infinite" number in that the decimal expantion goes on for ever, and does not repeat itself.
Thus this means that it can not be represented as a fraction (mind you that when people say that pi is 22/7, that is just an estimate)
I disagree with your use of saying that it is an "infinite" number.
The correct term is irrational. Saying infinite makes it seem like a special almost intangible number. Though it is true that it is a spectial number, there is nothing that makes it not a number.
As a mathmatical consept it is very simple, in that it is just a number. That is all. It is when we apply it to the world or to geometry that we find that it is actualy very complicated.
When ever i am struck with this fact It makes me realize that the world is infinitly complicated. And every thing that we know about the world is just a decent approximation. (kinda humbling)
As for why is pi an irrational number, ... Well the only answer is "because it is not a rational number." It just has to be one or the other, and it just so happens that it is irrational. (not suprising, because there are infinitly more irrational number than rational numbers)
2006-08-10 03:01:01 · answer #2 · answered by farrell_stu 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
PI is the name for a number that would need an unlimited number of digits to express since it does not divide out exactly. But no matter how many digits you write it does not get much past the value of 3.14.
Infinity is different. It is the name for a number bigger than any other number. It has no end because no matter what number you are thinking of you can always increase it, without end. You would also need an unlimited number of digits to express it because it is unbelievably big.
So no matter what strange concept "infinity" suggests to you, you are abusing the math when talking about these numbers.
2006-08-10 02:54:29 · answer #3 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a big difference between a number being infinite and that number having an infinite decimal expansion! Pi is a finite number. It is between 3 and 4. That makes it finite. However, the decimal expansion is infinite and doesn't repeat. But having an infinite decimal expansionisn't that big a deal. So does
1/3=.333333.....
2006-08-10 03:43:39 · answer #4 · answered by mathematician 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think there is a simple answer to what you want to know.
The ratio of the circumferance to the radius of a circle is not a rational or 'ending' number. This is pi. It is just naturally so. There is no reason for this. You might as well ask why is tan 45 equal to one or something that just is.
2006-08-10 03:06:33 · answer #5 · answered by blind_chameleon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
infinite is not a number.. it's just a representation of the set of numbers that is infinite.. pi, on the other hand, is irrational and is equivalent to a certain value..
2006-08-10 03:16:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has an infinite, nonrepeating set of numbers after the decimal point, which is why so many math dorks memorize like 100000 places after pi.
2006-08-10 02:48:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not exactly infinite (a single number cannot be infinite) but it has in infinite decimal expansion: it's decimal expansion never ends and does not repeat.
Wiki explains it like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi
2006-08-10 02:54:58 · answer #8 · answered by Sheik Yerbouti 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
this is because the value of pi is 22/7 and as 22 doesnt get divided completely by 7 thus its value is infinite
got it?????
2006-08-10 03:23:10 · answer #9 · answered by B P 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
And not only irrational, but also transcendental. That is, it cannot be represented as a finite series of polynomial functions.
Doug
2006-08-10 02:55:21 · answer #10 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋