The first known theoretical calculation of pi is credited to Archimedes of Syracuse in the 3rd century BCE, who used geometry with polygons to approximate its value.

Quick Scoop

Ancient cultures like the Babylonians and Egyptians used rough approximations of the circle constant long before it was formalized, but they did not leave a clear theoretical derivation of pi as a mathematical constant.
Archimedes is the first person we know of who set out explicitly to calculate pi using a rigorous mathematical method rather than just measuring circles. He did this by:

  • Inscribing and circumscribing regular polygons inside and around a circle.
  • Gradually increasing the number of sides to “squeeze” the circle’s circumference between two bounds.
  • Proving that pi lies between 22371\frac{223}{71}71223​ and 227\frac{22}{7}722​, which corresponds to about 3.1418 as a central estimate, impressively close to the modern value.

So, in the sense of “who tried to find the first calculation of pi” as a deliberate, mathematically justified computation, the answer is: Archimedes of Syracuse.

A tiny timeline flavor

Later mathematicians across different cultures refined Archimedes’ idea or found new ones:

  1. Greek and Hellenistic mathematicians after Archimedes improved approximations using circle geometry.
  2. Chinese mathematicians like Liu Hui and Zu Chongzhi used very high-sided polygons and pushed pi to several correct decimal places.
  3. Indian, Islamic, and European mathematicians later brought in infinite series, products, and other advanced tools, turning the quest for pi into a centuries‑long story of mathematical progress.

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