Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.8 $; site convex Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!convex!bjchrist From: bjchrist@convex.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sources Subject: Re: Solving Pi Message-ID: <42500016@convex> Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 14:51:00 EDT Article-I.D.: convex.42500016 Posted: Mon Aug 19 14:51:00 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 03:36:09 EDT References: <187@ski.UUCP> Lines: 21 Nf-ID: #R:ski.UUCP:-18700:convex:42500016:000:947 Nf-From: convex.UUCP!bjchrist Aug 19 13:51:00 1985 As an aside: If you know PI you can check a random number generator by the accuracy with which it calculates pi by the following means: |a square with coordinates: (0,0) (1,0) (1,1) (0,1) has an area |of one (1) | given: |a circle with radius 1 has as its area PI. Plot the circle on graph |paper with is center at (0,0). The area of the circle falling |in quadrant 1 is PI/4. So the ratio of points within the square's |area AND within the circle's area is PI/4. write a program to generate two random numbers 0<= x <= 1.0 keep count of the number of times sqrt(x**2 + y**2) <=1.0 the ratio of the hits (sqrt(x^2 + y^2) <= 1.0) to misses will give you PI/4. The rate of convergence is horrible but it's interesting to compare random number generators and their accuracy. If a REAL *random* number generator is used. After an infinite number of shots, you will really have PI. Assuming you have an infinitly accurate calculator.