What is Pi? You may remember from high school geometry that Pi stands for 3.14 or 22/7. This is close, but both are only estimations of Pi. In reality, Pi is a number whose decimals continue indefinitely, without ever repeating. This type of number is called “irrational”. Pi is not the only irrational number. The square root of 2 is irrational, as well as the “golden ratio”, among others. To contrast that, type 22/9 into a calculator. The result is 2.444444… The 4s go on for ever, but they are repeating. Try 22/7. The result (3.14285714285714…) looks like a jumble of random numbers like Pi, but if you look closer, you will see that the string of digits 142857 repeats.
Where does Pi come from?
The number Pi comes from the ratio of a circle’s circumference to the length of its diameter. To demonstrate, imagine a circle. Take a piece of string and stretch it across the middle of the circle. This represents a diameter. Now hold that spot on the string. Pick up the string and start to lay it along the outside of the circle. You can lay it once, then move it - lay it twice, move it - and lay it a third time. You’ve almost made it all the way around the circle, but you’re left with just a little bit. The three times laying the string represents the 3 of Pi, and the little bit of circle that’s left over represents the .14159...
Who discovered Pi?
Although we assign a Greek letter to Pi, the ancient Greeks were not the only mathematically savvy culture to know of the ratio’s existence. By 2000 B.C. the Babylonians estimated Pi to be 3 ⅛ or 3.125. At the same time, the Egyptians estimated Pi to be 4(8/9)^2 or 3.16049.
With modern technology, mathematicians have accurately measured Pi way past 3.14 or 3.14159. We know the first 10 TRILLION digits! That’s a lot of Pi.
Before the puzzle, here’s a final thought. If Pi goes on forever without repeating, that means somewhere in Pi you can find your phone number, social security number, and your address. And not just yours, EVERYONE’S! Suppose a computer was able to translate the numerical digits of Pi to letters by the simple cypher 1=A 2=B etc. The first few digits of Pi could look like 3.ADAEI or 3.NOI. If Pi goes on forever, without repeating, that means that inside of Pi you could find your name, your parents’ names, and your cat’s name. It takes a stretch of the imagination, and far past the computing power of the most powerful computer, but inside of Pi there is a word-for-word exact copy of every Shakespeare play. Find a Pi search engine online, and try it for yourself.
The cache is located at N 37 33.0ab W 077 27.cde. To find ab and cde, you’ll have to find the “address” of 849176607
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.