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People also made TV shows proving that the Egyptians had discovered pi because pi was in the ratio between the base and the height, or more likely space aliens built it because pi was improbable for the Egyptians.

Then some wit torpedoed it by pointing out that if you used a measuring wheel of 1 cubit in diameter, and measured out the base using so many rotations of the wheel, and measured out the height in cubits, pi is in the ratio without needing to discover it.

No, I don't know what a cubit is. Don't ask.



A cubit is the distance from a (standardized) man's elbow to his middle fingertip, from Latin "cubitum" = "elbow". Perhaps a more convenient reference than the foot when measuring things that aren't on the ground.


I suppose my little joke is outdated :-)


Or maybe I just haven't seen that particular sketch (I am younger than you, but I'm also not American).

Since you chose not to explain your reference, for bystanders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bputeFGXEjA


I used to know what a cubit was




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