Liu Hui's π algorithm and volume methods
Algoritmo de Liu Hui para π y cálculo de volúmenes
- Date
- 263 · confidence high
- Place
- Zibo, Shandong, China
- Credited to
- Liu Hui
- People
- 👤 Liu Hui225–295
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What was discovered
In his commentary on the Nine Chapters, Liu Hui inscribes polygons of up to 3072 sides to bound π (3.1416) and uses reasoning by limits and dissection to prove volume formulas. He introduced the idea of successive approximation to China.
A method analogous to Archimedes's, but developed independently.
What it led to
- precise calculation of π in China
- proofs of volume formulas
- tradition of critical commentary on mathematical texts