On the rabbinical approximation of \(\pi\)
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: On the rabbinical approximation of \(\pi\)
zbMATH Open document ID: 0898.01004
author: Boaz Tsaban
author: David Garber
published in: Historia Mathematica
publication date: 1998-11-01T00:00:00Z
review text: The Talmud always uses 3 as value for \(\pi\). Maimonides explains this by noting that a coarse approximation was taken since the true value of \(\pi\) is unknowable. \{This is not an assertion of the irrationality or transcendence of \(\pi\) but a reference to Aristotle's theory that ``straight and curved'' form a pair of fundamental opposites, implying that the straight line does not have enough segments to represent all possible segments of curved lines. The unsoundness of this theory was first demonstrated by John Wallis.\} It is further shown that in theoretical discussions the rabbis have used more exact approximations in cases where the use of the coarse approximation would have violated explicit legal standards. A digression on number mystic is not to be taken seriously \{the use of letters for numbers cannot be found before the Alexandrian period; antique weights and measures show clearly number signs\}.
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 01A35
zbMATH DE Number: 1156722
zbMATH Keywords: Talmud
zbMATH Keywords: approximation
reviewed by: Heinrich Guggenheimer
MaRDI profile type: Publication
full work available at URL: hmat.1997.2185
OpenAlex ID: W2036647932
Wikidata QID: Q56659611
cites work: Q4333491
cites work: Q4334032
cites work: Q4274557
cites work: Q5462984
cites work: Q3715068
cites work: Q3398536
cites work: Q4477519
cites work: Q4509116
DOI: 10.1006/HMAT.1997.2185
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1156722