Pi and Proof Film Questions

1. Watch the filmPIand answer these questions about the film.

The film "Pi" has a math- computer - numerology theme, and is an early effort by Darren Aronofsky, who is famous for "The Black Swan". If you have seen "The Black Swan", I think you will recognize "Pi" as Anonofsky's work. The computer "Euclid" is supposed to be an early computer, from the time when Steve Jobs built the first Apple in his garage. "Pi" is somewhat dyspotain, low budget film. Something you might miss at the very end is when Jena asks Max to calculate 748 divided by 238. If you check this on your calculator, this is a "quick" approximation of pi. Do you know a better one? Try 355/113.

The Bible (1 Kings 7:26) says Pi equals 3. The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill defining Pi as equal to 3.2 (The Indiana Senate did not pass this bill, so it did not become law). Pi has now been calculated to 12.1 trillion places. Actually, this is not a trivial exercise, as computers and programs can be compared and checked for accuracy by seeing whether the calculations agree.

Note: If this assignment is used again, a question about the board game GO should be included. Chess was considered, but Aronofsky went with GO. GO was used in "A Beautiful Mind" also.

PI QUESTIONS 1. Max makes certain statements and claims to belief, which he repeats many times. First, Math (number) is the language of the universe. Second, Nature can be expressed in these numbers. Third, If you graph (or otherwise represent) these numbers, patterns will emerge. Fourth, if you can discover these patterns, you can find the key to understanding the apparent chaos, and you can predict everything. What is your opinion of Max's core beliefs? Do they really apply to the universe? Could a mathematical pattern be something like the DNA if the universe?

2. The complete title of the film is "Pi: Faith in Chaos". How does the concept of faith apply to the film?

3. The complete title of the film is "Pi: Faith in Chaos". How does the concept of chaos apply to the film?

4. Suppose that there is a mathematical pattern that allows one to comprehend the order of the universe. How would that impact the question of free will and determinism?

5. Are the concepts of free will and determinism mutually exclusive? (or using a term from the course, disjoint)

6. Patterns are used everywhere in this film. For instance the spiral pattern in the coffee creamer, the slinky, smoke, shells and plants. In Chapter 1 of our text, we looked for hidden patterns in number sequences, and (briefly) discussed the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio, both of which have been (reliably) related to some patterns in nature. How far can this be extended? To life, to the universe? Can this concept be generalized? Is this belief an underlying assumption that makes us study mathematics?

7. Men (or women) risks their minds in pursuit of a dangerous obsession. Is the character of Max (in Pi) a fictionalization of Cantor or Godel (or Boltzmann or Turing for that matter) as described in "Dangerous Knowledge"? Why and/or why not.

8. It has been said that "one problem of mathematics is that you can't prove it (or even accept it) except on its own terms". To what extent does this apply to the understanding of this film?

9. How much real math is actually in this film? There is certainly some, the Fibonacci sequence and