[tangoblue (OP)]

I dont think this is strictly a science question but its kind of physicsy. Anyway, why is pie (as in 3.141592653...) infinite, and how did they get pie to be that number? finally, how many digits do they know pi up to? thanks.

[LeeE]

It's not so much that pi is infinite, meaning that it has infinite decimal places, but that it cannot be expressed as a fraction.  For example, the fraction 1/3 also has infinite decimal places when expressed as a decimal (base 10) but it can quite obviously be expressed as a finite fraction.

Nobody 'got' pi to be any particular number; it is the natural ratio between the diameter of a circle and its circumference, and by virtue of that, it is also the ratio between the square of a circle's radius and its area.

I'm sure a quick Google will tell you to how many digits pi has currently been calculated.

[Geezer]

It is convenient to size circles based on two points that are 180 degrees apart (the diameter), but we could just as easily size circles based on two points that are at some angle other than 180 degrees so that the ratio was a nice round number, like 3 for example.

A possible downside to this would be the amount of mental gymnastics required to establish the diameter.

[RD]

... ratio was a nice round number, like 3 for example.

You're not in Indiana Geezer ? ...
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/805/did-a-state-legislature-once-pass-a-law-saying-pi-equals-3

[Geezer]

You're not in Indiana Geezer ? ...

Er, I don't think so, but I am in one o' them thar "I" states. It's not Iowa, or even Ohio, so it must be Idaho.

(Personally, I think it's the nicest one of all. Even the trees seem to agree.)

[Evie]

I think that supercomputers have gotten the digits out over a trillion. Thanks Wikipedia!

[yamo]

Is the magic of pi restricted to 2 dimensions?  Are there similar, related geometric ratios in 3 dimensions? 4, 5, 6, etc?  Since nothing exists in only 2 dimensions (everything exists in however many dimensions there are but nothing exists in only 2 dimensions), is pi real?

[RD]

Is the magic of pi restricted to 2 dimensions?  Are there similar, related geometric ratios in 3 dimensions?

A sphere is 3D ...