Difference between revisions of "Pi calculator"

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The '''π calculator''' is a device constructed by [[Adam P. Goucher]] in February {{year|2010}}, which calculates the decimal digits of π (the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi transcendental number], not the [[Pi-heptomino|Life pattern]]!) and displays them in the Life universe as 8×10 dot matrix characters formed by arrangements of [[block]]s along a diagonal stripe at the top. A [[push]] reaction moves a ten-block diagonal cursor to the next position as part of the "printing" operation for each new digit.
The '''π calculator''' is a device constructed by [[Adam P. Goucher]] in February {{year|2010}}, which calculates the decimal digits of π and displays them in the Life universe as 8×10 dot matrix characters formed by arrangements of [[block]]s along a diagonal stripe at the top. A [[push]] reaction moves a ten-block diagonal cursor to the next position as part of the "printing" operation for each new digit.


The actual calculation is done in binary, using a streaming [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spigot_algorithm spigot algorithm] based on linear fractional transformations. The π calculator is made up of a 188-state [[computer]] connected to a printing device via period-8 [[regulator]]s and a binary-to-decimal conversion mechanism. The complete pattern can be found in [[Golly]]'s ''Very Large Patterns'' online archive,{{refn|group=note|Accessible in Golly via Help › Online Archives › Very Large Patterns › Pi calculator.}} along with the very similar 177-state '''phi calculator''' which uses a simpler algorithm to calculate and print the Golden Ratio, φ.
The actual calculation is done in binary, using a streaming [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spigot_algorithm spigot algorithm] based on linear fractional transformations. The π calculator is made up of a 188-state [[computer]] connected to a printing device via period-8 [[regulator]]s and a binary-to-decimal conversion mechanism. The complete pattern can be found in [[Golly]]'s ''Very Large Patterns'' online archive,{{refn|group=note|Accessible in Golly via Help › Online Archives › Very Large Patterns › Pi calculator.}} along with the very similar 177-state '''phi calculator''' which uses a simpler algorithm to calculate and print the Golden Ratio, φ.

Revision as of 04:55, 8 July 2019

π calculator
π calculator image
Pattern type Miscellaneous
Number of cells 1189325
Bounding box 117573 × 155887
Discovered by Adam P. Goucher
Year of discovery 2010

The π calculator is a device constructed by Adam P. Goucher in February 2010, which calculates the decimal digits of π and displays them in the Life universe as 8×10 dot matrix characters formed by arrangements of blocks along a diagonal stripe at the top. A push reaction moves a ten-block diagonal cursor to the next position as part of the "printing" operation for each new digit.

The actual calculation is done in binary, using a streaming spigot algorithm based on linear fractional transformations. The π calculator is made up of a 188-state computer connected to a printing device via period-8 regulators and a binary-to-decimal conversion mechanism. The complete pattern can be found in Golly's Very Large Patterns online archive,[note 1] along with the very similar 177-state phi calculator which uses a simpler algorithm to calculate and print the Golden Ratio, φ.

Detail of the π calculator after 63,850,210,955,854 generations, having calculated 13 digits of π, viewed at a scale of 26:1.

Notes

  1. Accessible in Golly via Help › Online Archives › Very Large Patterns › Pi calculator.

External links