Hi, I pass along a message which was distributed by the latest NA digest (see http://www.netlib.org/na-digest-html/ ). best regards Christoph From: Tim Davis <davis@cise.ufl.edu> Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2007 12:56:13 -0500 Subject: One third of a 100-digit challenge (poem) Nick Trefethen defines a ten-digit algorithm as "Ten digits, Five seconds, And just one page", in his essay: http://web.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/work/nick.trefethen/ten_digit_algs.htm , which compares code to poetry. Thus, the following "code" "computes" pi to 33 digits (1/3 of a 100-digit challenge), can be read in about 40 seconds, and fits on half a page. Each line has a number of syllables equal to a digit of pi. The angst comes when the poem itself wonders what to do with the first zero digit ... 3.14159265358979323846264338327950, by T. D. 3 The number, 1 pi. 4 I wonder why 1 I 5 watch the digits fly? 9 Do digits to the infinite tend? 2 Or end 6 at bottom of page ten? 5 Stop I know not when. 3 A circle, 5 pi the number shall 8 encompass all from head to tail. 9 The diameter times pi shall tell 7 not the area, oh swell, 9 but circumference of circles all. 3 pi r square? 2 oh where? 3 Look around, 8 can you find any pie not round? 4 Yet pi r square 6 gives you the area 2 all fine 6 circles you chance to find. 4 e to i pi? 3 (this is fun): 3 minus one. 8 Alas a zed comes up ahead. 3 It cannot 2 be wrought: 7 a poem or stanza taught 9 whose syllables all add up to naught, 5 and so I must stop. 0 [ ]