Roger Knowles brings this whopper of a sign from the highways of San Francisco.
Click on sign for larger image.
Mr. Knowles whips up a storm of mathematics to get the first three decimal places of pi. Note, the very small numbers in the carpool information are 5 to 10, and 3 to 7.
{{880 + 600 + (80 \times 3) + (10 \times 10) + 14 - 7 - 5 } \over {580}} \approx 3.141 \approx \pi
This sign is located on I-80 westbound in California at the Emeryville exit. The GPS coordinates are approximately N37.82696 W122.2983. See sign on map!
2 responses so far ↓
1 Solt // Feb 10, 2006 at 3:07 pm
(880+660+(8×3)+(10×10)+14-7-5)/580=(880+660+24+100+14-7-5)/580=1666/580 =~ 2.872
A correct formula could be (keeping the order of the numbers):
(880+660+8+(3×10x10)-14-7-5)/580 =~ 3.141
2 Road Sign Math Administrator // Feb 12, 2006 at 5:17 am
You found an error in my posting of this winner. I had accidentally put 660 where 600 was to be, and 8 where 80 was supposed to be. You are correct in your math (and I’m impressed that you actually calc’d it out!).
I’ve fixed the formula to match that submitted by Roger Knowles.
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