Ok, pi is probably a bit over the head of your average 5 year old. I know the definition of pi is circumference / diameter, but is that really how we get all the digits of pi? We just get a circle, measure it and calculate? Or is there some other formula or something that we use to calculate the however many known digits of pi there are?
In: 716
You take a circle and draw a square in it so that the four corners of the square are on the circle. The diagonal through the square is the diameter of the circle. The perimeter of the square is a (very bad) approximation of the circumference. Knowing the diagonal of the square, you can calculate the sides of the square, and therefore the perimeter. Perimeter / Diameter = a (very bad) approximation of pi.
Now do it with a pentagon. The perimeter of a pentagon is a better approximation of the circumference, therefore you get a better approximation of pi.
Now a hexagon
Now a heptagon
Now a octagon
Now a nonagon
etc. etc.
The more sides you have, the closer you get to actual pi.
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