Definition:Zu Chongzhi Fraction/Historical Note

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Historical Note on Zu Chongzhi Fraction

The Zu Chongzhi fraction $\dfrac {355} {113}$ as an approximation for $\pi$ (pi) was derived by Zu Chongzhi and his son Zu Geng.

Adriaan Metius fortuitously rediscovered it independently around the $16$th century.

He did this by taking mediant of two limits $\dfrac {377} {120}$ and $\dfrac {333} {106}$ calculated by his father. This is guaranteed to generate a number between those limits, but the usefulness of the approximation was lucky.


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