ERIC Number: EJ882139
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jan
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0020-739X
EISSN: N/A
Lord Brouncker's Forgotten Sequence of Continued Fractions for Pi
Osler, Thomas J.
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, v41 n1 p105-110 Jan 2010
"Lord Brouncker's continued fraction for pi" is a well-known result. In this article, we show that Brouncker found not only this one continued fraction, but an entire infinite sequence of related continued fractions for pi. These were recorded in the "Arithmetica Infinitorum" by John Wallis, but appear to have been ignored and forgotten by modern mathematicians. We identify these continued fractions and give a modern derivation. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Mathematical Concepts, Equations (Mathematics), Mathematical Formulas
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
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Language: English
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