The number Ï (/paɪ/) is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, and is approximately equal to 3.14159. It has been represented by the Greek letter “Ï” since the mid-18th century, though it is also sometimes written as pi. Ï is an irrational number, which means that it cannot be expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers (such as 22/7 or other fractions that are commonly used to approximate Ï); consequently, its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanent repeating pattern. The digits appear to be randomly distributed, although no proof of this has yet been discovered. Ï is a transcendental number â a number that is not the root of any nonzero polynomial having rational coefficients. The transcendence of Ï implies that it is impossible to solve the ancient challenge of squaring the circle with a compass and straight-edge.
