SMRTR Science & EngineeringJun 7, 2026John D. Cook

A crank formula for π

SMRTR summary

A quirky formula claims to calculate π using physical constants like electron mass and the speed of light, but it falls apart because it requires knowing the "total energy of the universe" — a value that's undefined, possibly zero, infinite, or estimated at around 10⁷⁰ Joules, making the formula mathematically meaningless.

SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to John D. Cook.

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