Gauss–Legendre algorithm: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:58, 18 March 2016

Revision as of 02:58, 18 March 2016

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The '''Gauss–Legendre algorithm''' is an [[algorithm]] to compute the digits of [[Pi|π]]. It is notable for being rapidly convergent, with only 25 iterations producing 45 million correct digits of π. However, the drawback is that it is [[Random-access_memory|computer memory]] -intensive and therefore sometimes [[Machin-like formulas]] are used instead.

The method is based on the individual work of [[Carl Friedrich Gauss]] (1777–1855) and [[Adrien-Marie Legendre]] (1752–1833) combined with modern algorithms for multiplication and [[square root]]s. It repeatedly replaces two numbers by their [[arithmetic mean|arithmetic]] and [[geometric mean]], in order to approximate their [[arithmetic-geometric mean]].