Mile of Pi - Numberphile

TL;DR

The hosts unravel a mile-long paper featuring one million digits of Pi, showcasing interesting patterns and facts about the number.

Transcript

We're here on a runway because for some reason Brady has printed out the first 1,000,000 digits of Pi on a continuous mile long piece of paper which we are going to very carefully unravel today and go for a tour of a million digits of Pi. So here's 3.14159 which - for a fun fact - that's as far as I've memorised and then it carries on and you've ma... Read More

Key Insights

• ♓ The Feynman Point, featuring the string of six 9s, is a notable pattern within the first million digits of Pi.
• 🪘 The absence of the number 4 in a sequence of 157 digits is the longest absence of a digit within the first million digits.
• 🥺 The uneven distribution of digits in Pi leads to some digits appearing more frequently than others, with 5 being the most common.
• 🪈 No sequences of digits from 0 to 9 in order are found within the first million digits of Pi.
• ♓ Despite the vastness of Pi's digits, only a fraction has been memorized by individuals.
• 😉 The hosts used thermal inkjet technology and a small amount of ink to print the million digits of Pi.
• 🗞️ Unraveling and re-rolling the mile-long paper on a runway was part of the process.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of the Feynman Point in Pi?

The Feynman Point in Pi is the string of six 9s (999999), and it remains unbeaten within the first million digits. It is a notable pattern within Pi that occurs relatively early on.

Q: Has anyone memorized Pi beyond a million digits?

The world record for memorizing Pi is reciting over 125 yards, which equates to a fraction of the first million digits of Pi. No one has memorized Pi beyond this point.

Q: Are there any sequences of digits from 0 to 9 in order within the first million digits of Pi?

No, within the first million digits of Pi, there is no sequence of 0 to 9 in order. The absence of sequences like 0123456789 is an interesting pattern within Pi.

Q: Which digit appears the most within the first million digits of Pi?

The digit 5 appears the most within the first million digits of Pi. It appears approximately 100,000 times, making it the champion in terms of frequency.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The hosts unravel a mile-long paper with one million digits of Pi, marking every ten digits for reference.

• They discuss the Feynman Point and the longest string of the same digit, both found within the first million digits.

• The hosts point out the absence of the number 4 for 157 digits and the uneven distribution of digits in Pi.