mathematics

Simon Plouffe

Simon Plouffe is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Simon Plouffe rather than just read about it. In short: Simon Plouffe (born June 11, 1956) is a Canadian mathematician who discovered the Bailey–Borwein–Plouffe formula (BBP algorithm) which permits the computation of the nth binary digit of π, in 1995. His other 2022 formula allows extracting the nth digit of π in decimal.

Key takeaways

Simon Plouffe belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Simon Plouffe to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Simon Plouffe from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Simon Plouffe (born June 11, 1956) is a Canadian mathematician who discovered the Bailey–Borwein–Plouffe formula (BBP algorithm) which permits the computation of the nth binary digit of π, in 1995. His other 2022 formula allows extracting the nth digit of π in decimal. He was born in Saint-Jovite, Quebec. He co-authored The Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, made into the website On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences dedicated to integer sequences later in 1995. In 1975, Plouffe broke the world record for memorizing digits of π by reciting 4096 digits, a record which stood until 1977.

See also Fabrice Bellard, who discovered in 1997 a faster formula to compute pi. PiHex

Notes

External links Works by Simon Plouffe at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Simon Plouffe at the Internet Archive Plouffe website (in French) Simon Plouffe at the Mathematics Genealogy Project N. J. A. Sloane and S. Plouffe, The Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, Academic Press, San Diego, 1995, 587 pp. ISBN 0-12-558630-2.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Simon Plouffe

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Simon Plouffe claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Simon Plouffe before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Simon Plouffe ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Simon Plouffe

In research: Simon Plouffe appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Simon Plouffe in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Simon Plouffe is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1956 births, Canadian mathematicians, Canadian scientist stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Simon Plouffe outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Simon Plouffe in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Simon Plouffe means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Simon Plouffe out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Simon Plouffe in simple terms?

Why does Simon Plouffe matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Simon Plouffe?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Simon Plouffe.