Zu Chongzhi (429-500) was a mathematician, astronomer and physicist in the Southern Dynasties of China. Zu Chongzhi's grandfather, Zuchang, was an official in charge of royal architecture in the Song Dynasty. Zu Chongzhi grew up in such a family and learned a lot from childhood. People all praise him as a knowledgeable young man. He especially likes studying mathematics, and he also likes studying astronomical calendars. He often observes the movements of the sun and planets and makes detailed records.
The Story of Zu Chongzhi and Pi
Zu Chongzhi's outstanding achievement in mathematics is about the calculation of pi. Before the Qin and Han Dynasties, people took "diameter of one week and three weeks" as pi, which was called "Gubi". Later, it was found that the error of Gubi was too big, and the pi should be "more than three times a week", but opinions were divided on how much was left. Until the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Hui put forward a scientific method to calculate pi-"secant method", which approximated the circumference of a circle with the circumference of a regular polygon. =3. 14, and points out that the more sides inscribed with regular polygons? The more accurate this value is. On the basis of predecessors' achievements, Zu Chongzhi worked hard and calculated repeatedly before he found out? Between 3. 14 15926 and 3. 14 15927. And it is a conclusion? Approximation in fractional form, taking approximation rate and density, in which taking six decimal places is 3. 14 1929, which is the closest numerator denominator in 1000? The fraction of the value. It is impossible to prove how Zu Chongzhi got this result. Assuming that he followed Liu Hui's "secant" method, he would have to work out 16384 polygons inscribed in the circle. How much time and labor it takes! It can be seen that his tenacious perseverance and intelligence in academic research are admirable ... It has been 1000 years since foreign mathematicians obtained the same result from the secrecy rate calculated by Zu Chongzhi. In order to commemorate Zu Chongzhi's outstanding contribution, some foreign mathematicians put forward? = Call it "ancestral rate".
Zu Chongzhi exhibited famous works at that time and insisted on seeking truth from facts. He compared and analyzed a large number of materials calculated by himself, found serious mistakes in the past calendars, and dared to improve them. At the age of 33, he successfully compiled the Daming Calendar, which opened a new era in calendar history.
Zu Chongzhi and his son Zuxuan (also a famous mathematician in China) solved the calculation of the volume of a sphere with ingenious methods. They adopted a principle at that time: "If the power supply potential is the same, the products should not be different." That is to say, two solids located between two parallel planes are cut by any plane parallel to these two planes. If the areas of two sections are always equal, then the volumes of two solids are equal. This principle is based on the following points. However, it was discovered by Karl Marx more than 1000 years ago. In order to commemorate the great contribution of grandfather and son in discovering this principle, everyone also called this principle "the ancestor principle".
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