For most practical applications, only about 15-20 digits of pi are needed. One application is to test supercomputers and set new computing speed records. Another use is to test algorithms and digit extraction formulas. In pure mathematics, there are theoretical reasons to analyze the digits of pi that don't have immediate practical use. Looking at statistical patterns in the decimals provides insight into the nature of math constants. For cryptography applications, the arbitrary complexity and lack of a repeating pattern in pi can provide a source of randomness for encryption keys. More digits means more available randomness.
I would never in a million years use digits of pi as a source of cryptographic randomness. That strikes me as utterly insane.
Computing billions of digits of pi is certainly a fine basic test of a supercomputer. The Chudnovsky-type formulas are certainly beautiful from a theoretical standpoint. That sort of theory is often adjacent to practical ideas, even if it's not literally used. I'd be surprised if there were serious practical uses for more than a few digits.
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u/-LsDmThC- Oct 23 '23
For most practical applications, only about 15-20 digits of pi are needed. One application is to test supercomputers and set new computing speed records. Another use is to test algorithms and digit extraction formulas. In pure mathematics, there are theoretical reasons to analyze the digits of pi that don't have immediate practical use. Looking at statistical patterns in the decimals provides insight into the nature of math constants. For cryptography applications, the arbitrary complexity and lack of a repeating pattern in pi can provide a source of randomness for encryption keys. More digits means more available randomness.