The History of Pi

Pi is the sixteenth letter in the Greek Alphabet (π). In math, it is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It has a value of 3.14159265358979323846… and the numbers go on without repeating. Translated to a fraction, it’s approximately 22/7. How did this important mathematical symbol originated?

Pi has been an alive concept as long as 4, 000 years ago by the Babylonians. They made it by calculating the area of the circle by getting 3 times the square of its radius.

But then, during 287-212 BC, it was first calculated by Archimedes from Syracuse. We all know that he is among the most prominent mathematicians in the history of the ancient civilizations. He was able to get the approximate area of a rectangle by using the Pythagorean Theorem which allows him to find the surface areas of the two basic polygons, the one inside the circle and the one circumscribed. He then proved that pi is between the numbers of 3 1/7 and 3 10/71.

It was also mentioned in the Bible:

And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it about. (I Kings 7, 23)

He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. ( II Chronicles 4:2)

However, their value was 3, not exactly the exact number.

Nobody really knows who had the idea. But all over the world, it was popular even in Ancient China by an early Chinese Mathematician named Zhu Chongzhi who lived between AD 429-500. However, the most accurate one during the computer age was  D. F. Ferguson. However, the word Pi is not only popular with math but also on some other aspects like the movie called the Life of Pi.

Young Survivor Stories

Kendall’s Heart Disease

Kendall was at the age of 3 when his parents noticed his body growing with rashes and heating up a fever during an innocent vacation. It became worse so his parents brought him home and then admitted him to a local hospital. The doctor said their son might have been experiencing and was advised to be transferred to a children’s hospital in Philadelphia.

What is Kawasaki disease

It is an uncommon disease where symptoms includes fever and body inflammation. This cause serious consequences to coronary arteries and even the heart. If you are able to diagnose it earlier, you might have the chance to be able to decrease its risk. Although, doctors and health professionals are still dumbfounded what causes Kawasaki disease.

There was a time when he stopped breathing. Lucky, he was already in the hospital. He experienced 6 hours in the operating room. Although he survived the operation, his heart was already too damaged to be repaired. Therefore, he was attached to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) where it keeps him alive and keeps the heart and lungs functioning. Four days later, someone was kind enough to donate a heart for him.

Now, he’s not just a survivor but also a college student, worker at a restaurant, swimmer, runner and golfer.

Adalyn’s Retinoblastoma disease 

Adalyn was just 9 months old when she was diagnosed with Retinablastoma on September 24, 2012. In simpler term, she had a tumor in her brain. Her parents started noticing a white glow on her eye when she was still 5-6 months old. Although, they never thought it would be a problem. At an early age, she took six rounds of chemo in 6 months which means sleeping in the hospital for 2-3 days. After completing her treatment, she was able to start a new life at a daycare center and with her family.