in reply to Golf -- compute PI

Here's a few more methods of achieving pi:

# 39 Characters
map$x+=(-1)**$_*4/(2*$_+1),0..1e6;die$x

Now, I know Ovid said no Trig functions, but I couldn't resist. Perhaps we could consider the next two examples mulligans :-)

# 45 Characters
use Math::Trig;die 16*atan(1/5)-4*atan(1/239)

# 21 Characters
use Math::Trig;die pi

-Eric

Update: Taking some of PrakashK's suggestions, shaved off a few more characters. Thanks PrakashK! :-)

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Re: Re: Golf -- compute PI
by PrakashK (Pilgrim) on Apr 16, 2002 at 04:34 UTC
    # 23 Characters
    use Math::Trig;warn pi;
    Why warn, when you can die saving one more character? 
    # 22 Characters
use Math::Trig;die pi;

    [download]
    And, you can shave one more character, if you don't care for that pesky semi-colon at the end.

    Oh, never mind. We are not supposed to use trig functions.

    /prakash

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      You can get the same result with 20 chars: 
      die 3.14159265358979
      I found this trick in Logique, informatique et paradoxes, publisher Belin (Pour la Science), page 67, it was about the shorter program to get (not compute) pi with n digits.
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(MeowChow) Re2: Golf -- compute PI
by MeowChow (Vicar) on Apr 16, 2002 at 06:23 UTC
    17 chars, if you're using trig:
      
    print 4*atan2 1,1

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       MeowChow                                   
               s aamecha.s a..a\u$&owag.print
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