The Discovery of

1. The Discovery of p By: Becky Pohlman Core A Pre-Algebra

2. A disagreement had broken out in the 7th grade geometry class at Scalene Jr. High. Di Ameter and Trap E. Zoid were debating shapes. Di believed there might be more to the world than sharp pointed objects, and that circles could be measured. While Trap, believed that only sharp pointed objects were of any use, so why explore any other shapes. He also believed that any others who believed as Di did should be deported to the forbidden country of the enemy, Circumference. All people who believed as Trap, should live in the grand country of, Hypotenuse. “You’ll be deported next!” Trap announced loudly, “You’d better be careful.” “We’ll prove you wrong someday!” Di cried as she rushed out the door. “Who’s we,” Trap yelled after Di.

3. Di sprinted down the hall and around the acute corner of the Mathematics Center at Scalene Jr. High. She had a goal in mind; she was headed toward her 6th grade math classroom and toward Mrs. Pira Dius. Now, Mrs. Dius and Di had similar beliefs. Mr. Dius, and Mr. Ameter Di’s dad, had both been deported to Circumference. The two left behind had promised each other to find all they could about circles. Knowing Mrs. Dius was in her planning period, Di ran into her classroom bursting all of her thoughts, “We’ve got to prove… He’s not right… What should we do?” “Minds greater than ours have been searching for the answer for years.” Mrs. Dius replied calmly ignoring Di’s outburst.

4. Di turned around and looked thoughtfully out the window. She was absentmindedly staring at a farmer with his sledge: when a thought popped suddenly into her mind. She needed to prove that wheels were useful, and she knew exactly how she was going to do it. There was one thing she needed, and that was to actually understand circles. When Di had turned around, Mrs. Dius had closed the door and was already starting on the blinds. Then once finished she ran to her desk, where she pulled out from a locked drawer, an overstuffed notebook. She then beckoned Di over toward her desk. Di’s curiosity got the best of her, and she hurried over toward the desk.

5. Mrs. Dius opened the notebook. Writing was scrawled on every page. Some writing was large, and pronounced, while other writing was fervent and miniscule. The large pronounced writing, she recognized as Mrs. Dius. The other’s creator she didn’t know. Large round circles were draw, with lines going every which way inside them. Diameter radius  = pi or 3.14 or 22/7 Radius = edge to center Diameter= width of a circle “This was my husband’s notebook,” Mrs. Dius explained, “He was on the verge of discovering something significant when he was deported. I keep seeing this symbol- . I know this  is the key.”

6. Di studied the notebook. Circles of all sizes were drawn with lines all of the way across, or to the middles. At the top of the page, the words radius and diameter were written. Mr. Dius had been like a second father to her. It seemed to her that he had named the across one after her. “Oh my,” Di exclaimed, “ He sure was busy!” “Yes,” Mrs. Dius replied, “he was very busy.” In her excitement, Di started to cut out different sized circles. She used the scraps and cut out the exact diameter. Then she wrapped the diameter of each directly around the circles. She found that each went around its own circle a little over three times. What had she found?

7. “I see you have found the over~three~circle~thing,” Mrs. Dius said looking over Di’s shoulder, “I think that is what this “” stands for. He has 3.14 and 22/7 written in after this “” or pi.” “This might be a measuring tool to circles!” Di exclaimed. “He wrote wheels under this as well as something else,” Mrs. Dius said, “It says, ‘The wheels will roll, and cause things to move faster and easier. I have found one problem: wheels must be exact.  is used for this.” “So, to calculate any circle, you need  or 3.14 or 22/7!” Di exclaimed.

8. As soon as Di said this, Trap burst into the room followed by the… Hypot Police! “There she is!” Trap exclaimed, “The traitor!” Before the police could speak, Di shouted, “Look what we’ve found!” Di then proceeded to explain what they had found. How,  was used to measure circles, and how radius was half way between the edge and the other edge. She talked about how diameter was all the way across. She then explained the use of the wheel. The police listened intently then replied, “That just might work!” The brought back Mr. Dius, and he helped them build the first wheel in Hypotenuse. They used the formulas: A= r2 or d/2r2 C= r2 or d The further use of circles was no longer outlawed, and Circumference was now on friendly terms with Hypotenuse.Mr. Dius even named the area around the circle circumference. The town of Scalene had a great celebration, and circles were now in sight everywhere people went, and people were able to move freely between countries. All was well!

9. 9 in EX: Circumference 9x2xp 18xp= 56.5 in EX: Area 9 in x 9 in x p 81 x p= 254.5 18 in C=r2p or dp A=d/2r2p