What is pi? Why is it used for solving sums in maths?
π is a constant which is the ratio between a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is one of the most important numbers in mathematics and appears in many areas of mathematics.
Geometry - the radius of a circle is 2πr, and the area of a circle is πr^2. Similarly, pi can be used to calculate the length or surface area of any shape with constant curves, as well as shapes which are based on circles, such as ellipses, cones etc.
Trigonometry - as the trigonometric functions are derived from the circle, pi is a very important constant in this. The radian measure of angle is based on a pi system. Pi consequently appears in definite integrals describing many natural shapes, including those based on circles.