Pi and e

Synopsis: One way to find the value of pi or e is by defining such numbers as the limits of monotonic sequences. The number p is the area of a disc with unit radius, but the area can be found without using p by approximating the area by the areas of sequences of interior polygons, as Archimedes did. This leads to the monotone convergence theorem Demonstrates how to get an approximation to p using exterior polygons. The theorem is proved and then applied to sequence which converges to the number e. A corresponding series is then used to define ex for all real x.
Series: Introduction to Pure Mathematics, Course M203
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 25 min.
Year of production: 1985
Availability: Off-air recording licence
Sale; 1999 sale: £145.00 (+VAT +p&p)
Subjects: Mathematics
Keywords: irrational numbers; pure mathematics

Producer

Cast

Phil Rippon
Robin Wilson

Name: Open University Worldwide
Web: http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window
Phone: +44 (0) 1908 274066
Address: Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Notes: NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk

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