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"π has fascinated mathematicians, engineers and other people for centuries. It is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference (C) to its diameter (d); This also explains why and how this number got its name: the lowercase π was first adopted in 1706 as an abbreviation for this number because it is the first letter of the Greek for "perimeter", specifically of a circle." Introduces a video by Numberphile explaining more about the determination of π

Prometheus Books The Glorious Golden Ratio [978-1-61614-423-4] - "For centuries, mathematicians, scientists, artists, and architects have been fascinated by a ratio that is ubiquitous in nature and is commonly found across many cultures. It has been called the "Golden Ratio" because of its prevalence as a design element and its seemingly universal esthetic appeal. From the ratio of certain proportions of the human body and the heliacal structure of DNA to the design of ancient Greek statues and temples as well as modern masterpieces, the Golden Ratio is a key pattern that has wide-ranging and perhaps endless applications and manifestations. What exactly is the Golden Ratio? How was it discovered? Where is it found? These questions and more are thoroughly explained in this engaging tour of one of mathematics' most interesting phenomena. With their talent for elucidating mathematical mysteries, veteran educators and prolific mathematics writers Alfred S. Posamentier and Ingmar Lehmann begin by tracing the appearance of the Golden Ratio throughout history. They demonstrate a variety of ingenious techniques used to construct it and illustrate the many surprising geometric figures in which the Golden Ratio is embedded. They also point out the intriguing relationship between the Golden Ratio and other famous numbers (such as the Fibonacci numbers, Pythagorean triples, and others). They then explore its prevalence in nature as well as in architecture, art, literature, and technology. "

Published 2012 "Circles Disturbed brings together important thinkers in mathematics, history, and philosophy to explore the relationship between mathematics and narrative. The book's title recalls the last words of the great Greek mathematician Archimedes before he was slain by a Roman soldier--"Don't disturb my circles"--words that seem to refer to two radically different concerns: that of the practical person living in the concrete world of reality, and that of the theoretician lost in a world of abstraction."

by John Yoo, Yuba Community College, a series of columns on math history, written for the CMC3 newsletter