# PI Day Countdown #1 – PI and the Babylonians

The Babylonians are one of the earliest recorded cultures in history. Babylonian scribes took records by writing on clay tablets using a reed stylus.

One of these tablets was found with three numbers, 3, 9 and 45 written on top a circle. It turns out that the circle is suppose to have an area of 45/60 while the circumference is 3 because of the old Babylonian rule for calculating the area of the circle:

Area = Circumference $^ 2 \times (5/60)$

With these values, it can actually be shown that the Babylonians at the time believed that the value of $\pi$ is exactly equal to 3. This is done by using today’s formula for the area of the circle $\pi r^2$ and circumference $2 \pi r$. The area of the circle can only be 45/60 while the circumference is 3 if we take $\pi = 3$.

However a different clay tablet indicates that the value of $\pi$ is 3.125 which is about 0.53% off of the true value of $\pi$. A better approximation of Pi.

PS: For more Pi Day countdown articles, visit the fun corner

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