Approximating Pi — NOVA | PBS

How to Calculate the Area of Circle in Terms of Pi (π)

The value of it (pi) can be approximated using polygons, a technique pioneered by Archimedes. By inscribing and circumscribing regular polygons around a circle, their perimeters provide upper and lower bounds for the circle’s circumference. The inscribed polygon gives a lower estimate, while the circumscribed polygon gives an upper estimate. As the number of sides increases, the perimeters get closer to the actual circumference, improving the approximation of П. This method demonstrates how simp