[Maths History] #Newton's #proof that #pi is #transcendental ?

Article (from Quora, re: Alejandro Jenkins)
How do you prove that a number is a transcendental number?

Summary
Although the concept of "transcendental number" was not defined during Newton's time, Newton's Principia contained the germ of idea that seems to lead to a relatively easy proof of the idea that p  is transcendental.  Arnol'd described how Newton showed that the trajectory of planets cannot be expressed in terms of any polynomial function of time.

[#Critique] Did #Seth #Godin know what #transcendental means in #maths?

Article
Magic and irrational (by Seth Godin)


My Comments

This is an interesting piece of inspirational waffle about p to celebrate "p day".  Hopefully this special day helps to keep this important piece of knowledge that has a long cultural history fresh in our collective human consciousness, and perhaps stem the decline in mathematical literacy of some of us.

However, his article made me wonder whether he knew what transcendental means.  It is a pretty technical concept, and even if one knew what it means, it's a challenge to put it in layman's terms and say something funny with it.  If he knew the meaning, he certainly did not show it.

But I do not blame him.  Seth Godin is known for his marketing, not for his maths.  So this is not a personal attack.  I'm just following his advice, trying to be a purple cow.  Perhaps after some "moo moo" here and "moo moo" there, and transcendental meditation, this zero of a cow could break off from its roots of limited degree, eat the pi in the sky and jump over the Mooooooooon to become a hero!

;-)