Math Is Fun Forum

karney

Guest

ancient babylonian and ancient egyptian values of pi

Believe it or not these were questions on my high school mathematics teachers license test.  I had no idea during the test, so I got it wrong.  From what I've been able to look up on the internet I'm getting that the ancient babylonian value of pi was 3.125 and the ancient egyptian value of pi was 3.16.  Does anybody concur with this or disagree?  By the way,  passing score on my test was 240 and I got a 238.  It's sickening that a correct answer to this questionable question probably would have given me the 240.

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: ancient babylonian and ancient egyptian values of pi

I'd never heard of this either, and I certainly wasn't taught it in school.
I agree with your values (well, technically the Egyptian one is 256/81), but that's only from Googling and probably looking at the same site that you did.

No way I'd have guessed those though.

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: ancient babylonian and ancient egyptian values of pi

Hi Karney;

Sorry to hear that. I was just reading a book (The computer as crucible) that did mention those 2 values. Truth is I wouldn't have remembered them either. Can you take it again?

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

sa

Guest

Re: ancient babylonian and ancient egyptian values of pi

:DI hope that you can,get the 240 on your test.

karney

Guest

Re: ancient babylonian and ancient egyptian values of pi

Thanks Sa!