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Transformation Methods for Pi

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg22319] Transformation Methods for Pi
• From: sniff <sniff at home.com>
• Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 03:01:32 -0500 (EST)
• Organization: SBC Internet Services
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

In Mathematica 4, the usage of N[Pi,10000000] (with $MaxPrecision =
Infinity) strongly suggests that the people at Wolfram Research are still
not using the best way to calculate Pi. It is very slow. Are they still
using a calculus based method (such as arctan functions) to compute this
number? On my old NT system, 8,388,608 digits of Pi are calculated in 2,851
seconds when using compiled C code of a transformation method and FFT to
speed up multiplications. Using Mathematica 4, I terminated the calculation after 17
hours. - It was still not done.

Where can I find more information regarding Mathematica 4 and its way to
compute Pi.

GTO