# “How I wish I could calculate pi” analogs…

You might know the mnemonic for $\pi$ in the title or even this more elaborated one:

Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
In mystic force, and magic spelling
Celestial sprites elucidate
All my own striving can't relate
Or locate they who can cogitate
And so finally terminate.
Finis.

Are there any for other than $\pi$? Feel free to create your own! Here's my try for $\gamma$:

"0 Euler Leonhard" $\to 0,58$

Choose your favorite language and feel free to post a riddle...

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Write the mnemonic first, and define the number to match it :) . –  Andreas Blass Jan 22 '13 at 23:03
Doesn't really fall under your category, but this is a pretty cool (and effective!) way of memorizing a lot of $\pi$. –  Alfonso Fernandez Jan 22 '13 at 23:03
For bonus points, make those into a Haiku. –  Asaf Karagila Jan 22 '13 at 23:11
Wikipedia has this info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piphilology –  Matthew Conroy Jan 22 '13 at 23:11
I'm converting this to CW –  robjohn Jan 23 '13 at 2:35

My spirits I brighten by leveling a mountain of decrepit milk maids furiously canoodling with lords of the manor.

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Yes, canoodling is underused. –  Will Jagy Jan 22 '13 at 23:22
+1 nice –  draks ... Jan 22 '13 at 23:28
canoodling has 10 letters? –  Jonas Meyer Jan 23 '13 at 1:23
@Jonas: Yes: $10\equiv0\pmod{10}$. –  Brian M. Scott Jan 23 '13 at 1:28
@Jonas: I was just sorry that wantonly was too short! –  Brian M. Scott Jan 23 '13 at 1:33

Que j'aime à faire apprendre une nombre utile aux sages, immortel archimède, artiste ingènieux...

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I understand that if you recite Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, you repectively get $\frac{2e^2+3}{3π +1}$ and $2\sqrt{π} + 1$. Easy calculations then give you $π$ and $e$ making all other mnemonics superfluous.

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How does this work? Can you give an example calculation using Homer's Odyssey... –  draks ... Jan 23 '13 at 11:42
@draks... I'm afraid you'll have to take the Ancient Greek original. –  k.stm Jan 23 '13 at 11:44
D'oh, nuts! Hmm Donuts, but go ahead... –  draks ... Jan 23 '13 at 12:39
Citation needed? –  cobaltduck Jan 23 '13 at 14:49

Of matrices becoming usually singular consider likeliness reasoning, given sufficient hugeness (unlike merely randomness), he said, so I do.

Solution: http://oeis.org/A048651/

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An ostrich, a platypus, an elephant, a tapeworm, in selfsame boat abide cataclysm?

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At the Feynman point:

Calculate perimeter: eightieth, ninetieth, hundredth: endlessly!

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+1 funny. Here's the link: Feynman point –  draks ... Jan 23 '13 at 8:19

Maybe have a look at:

Ivars Peterson's MathTrek

Pi P H I L O L O G Y

Regards

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Nice...I hadn't seen this earlier! –  amWhy May 7 '13 at 0:29
@amWhy: I am always surprised by the weirdness one encounters at times. I just reread the account about an professor analyzing math terms, then using the analysis to write a bogus paper and it was accepted by a (non) reputable journal. I also knew a professor who used math to write poetry and some of it was actually very good! –  Amzoti May 7 '13 at 0:36

Martin Gardner quoted one for $\pi$ which I like:

How I wish a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters involving quantum mechanics.

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