It's the ratio between a circle's circumference and its diameter. And that's a constant, right? And there's never been a disagreement on what that constant is - or its value to science - right? Well, not exactly.
In this lucid, wide-ranging book, Petr Beckmann traces the perilous journey of pi - the little number with huge implications for advanced mathematical functions - from its Babylonian creation to its use by the Greeks in measuring to some medieval attempts to eradicate those who pursued it to its crucial role in modern computation. Beckmann reveals this journey to be nothing less than a mirror of human history. He tells of times when pi made progress, and alos when it was stifled by militarism and religious fanaticism.
The mathematical level of the book puts it within the grasp of the nonspecialist, and the author's popular approach to the subject will make it appealing to readers of all ages. - inside cover
This breezy book gives you the whole fascinating story, from the first Stone Age tally stick to the latest "intelligent" computers... with the thinkers, builders, navigators, martyrs and madmen along the way. Even if simple sums make you cross-eyed, this is one math book that will charm you from cover to cover... - The Reader's Catalog
