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==History==
==History==
The Greek letter π is the sixteenth letter of the [[Greek alphabet]]. It was first used with its current meaning in 1706 by a Welsh mathematician William Jones because it is the first letter of the Greek word for [[perimeter]].
The Greek letter '''π''' is the sixteenth letter of the [[Greek alphabet]]. It was first used with its current meaning in 1706 by a Welsh mathematician William Jones because it is the first letter of the Greek word for [[perimeter]] (the circumference of a circle is its perimeter).
Mathematicians have worked for centuries to calculate <big><math>\pi</math></big> to more and more decimal places. To some extent, the progress of mathematics—or at least of computation—can be gauged by the progress in the number of digits to which <big><math>\pi</math></big> has been calculated.
Mathematicians have worked for centuries to calculate <big><math>\pi</math></big> to more and more decimal places. To some extent, the progress of mathematics—or at least of computation—can be gauged by the progress in the number of digits to which <big><math>\pi</math></big> has been calculated.