Re: the seven first decimals of pi

On 14 Sep 2008 11:50:30 GMT, Chris Malcolm <cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Lyndon <lyndontmail-newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

<anssir66@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:15e5bccb-d842-443a-80c9-1f6f608aebc1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I want to express that the value of pi, as far as the seven first
decimals are concerned, is 3.1415926. But, how do I go about saying
this (as the above is a bit clumsy)? I mean, what is the mathematical
wording to express this?
If I say:
"The first seven decimals of pi are 3,1415926", that's wrong as the
"3" is not a decimal.
Also, to say "Pi, to the accuracy of seven decimals, is..." sounds
very un-English.

The value of pi to seven decimal places is 3.1415926.

Or alternatively the value of pi to seven significant figures is the
the above.

Seven decimal places, but *eight* significant figures. The distinction
is that "significant figures" includes digits before the decimal
point, as well as after.

Both expressions are commonplace among Anglophone mathematicians. If
they sound unEnglish you may have too many unmathematical friends :-)

--
Don Aitken
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