In Bye Bye Nerdie (CABF11, 3/11/01) Lisa wonders why a bully attacks only nerds:
          Lisa: Why does she only go after the smart ones?

          Nelson: That's like asking the square root of a million - no one will ever know.

1) What is the square root of a million?



In the same episode, Prof. Frink addresses fellow scientists at a conference:


Prof. Frink: Scientists ... Scientists, please! I'm looking for some order. Some order, please, with the eyes forward and the hands neatly folded and the paying of attention. π is exactly three!

[crowd gasps]

Prof. Frink: Very sorry that it had to come to that, but now that I have your attention, we have some exciting new research from young Lisa Simpson. Let's bring her out and pay attention.

2) What is π according to your calculator?



3) Search the web for at least three different civilizations and the value(s) of π that they used.



In the episode Marge In Chains (9F20, 5/6/93), Homer and Apu discuss π :


Lisa and Homer Enjoying π
          Apu: In fact I can recite π to 40,000 places. The last digit is one!

          Homer: Mmmm, pie.


4) Devise a method in order to check and see whether Apu is correct.



5) Search on the web in order to find the world record for calculating digits of π and the method used.



6) How many digits of π can you memorize?



In Lisa's Sax (3G02, 10/19/97) two girls at a gifted school play patty-cake while chanting the digits of π :

          Cross my heart and hope to die          

          Here's the digits that make π          

          3.1415926535897932384....          

7) Does the game ever end? Explain.



8) Does the game get repetitive? Explain.



9) Search for some recent results related to π and normality and summarize what you find.

Kent Reporting on π
Dr. Sarah J. Greenwald, Appalachian State University

Our main site is simpsonsmath.com


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