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The value of PI is an important constant in circle area and circumference calculations. But
where does that value come from and why the general formula of circle area and
circumference calculations must be πR2 and 2πR successively.
The historians estimate that the value of PI has been used since 2000 BC, yet it is still being a
mystery to date. A lot of concepts have been proposed to calculate this number, i.e. the
ratio of circle circumference to its diameter, Archimedes approximation of PI, and many
more.
In this article, another short and simple concept of finding the value of PI as well as proving
the formulas of circle are and circumference calculations will be explained. The writer do
not know whether it is something new or the same concept have been proposed by other
party previously because the writer have not found any reference yet.
This concept was found by accident many years ago when the writer needed a measuring
stick to observe the changes of fluid volume ratio to the fluid height in the round tank
positioned horizontally. As it is known that the change of fluid volume in the horizontal tank
is not directly proportional to its height, so the method of calculation is different from the
vertical one.
To calculate the valur of PI (π), please find a circle below with center at the origin of
coordinate system. Let AOB is a right‐angled triangel with α angel at the center of the circle,
AB is perpendiculat to the X‐axis, and the distance of OX is equal to OA lines are the radius
of the circle, R.
A
α
O B X
If OA line is rotated clockwise through the center of the circle so that A closing to X and α angle
becomes very small. As α angle closing to zero ( 0) the distance of OB will close to OX ( )
and AB will close to zero ( 0).
Then:
Sin α = or
And the distance of AOB base triangle, AB =
Because the distance of OB closes to R for 0, then the form of AOB triangel will change from
the right‐angled triangle to close to isosceles triangle with OA and OB as the legs and AB as the base.
Because of very small α angle, the altitude of AOB triangle will also close to the triangle legs or the
circle radius, R. Then the area of AOB triangle will be:
A Sin α
The circle having angle of 3600 is then formed by the union of each of AOB triangles, then the
circle area may calculated as :
Sin α or Sin α
The table below showing the value of PI with various α angles
From the table above, the value of PI is obtained from x Sin α and it is equal to the circle area
having the radius of 1.
From the calculation results, for α angles of 10 to (10‐10)0 the value of PI is constant for α ≤ (10‐6)0
180
Sin α
α
Circumference
The circumference is formed by the union of the distance of base line (AB) of each of AOB
triangle, then:
Sin α or 2 Sin α)
And then 2