# Are the digits of pi random, or not?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 2, 2001, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638 "2001-08-02T15:00:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638/21 "2004-02-19T03:32:09Z")

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> [@spingears](#):
>
> Yup, and IF the extend the thing far enough it will also include all the works of shakespear and other assorted authors. Sortof like the myriad of monkeys banging away on typewriters to achieve the same end. :rolleyes:
> 
> Phu eee!

Actually, an absolutely normal sequence would contain all the works of Shakespeare. Did you really need to revive a two year old thread for a snide, ignorant comment?

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**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638/22 "2004-02-19T06:18:21Z")

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> [@Joe\_Cool](#):
>
> But the definition of randomness is a sequence such that the algorithm to describe it is no shorter than the sequence itself.

All sequences I know of which equal pi are infinite. Am I missing something?

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**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638/23 "2004-02-19T06:48:03Z")

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**emarkp** , the sequences or series you’ve seen that converge to pi may be infinite (such as pi = 4 - 4/3 + 4/5 - 4/7 +…), but what you’re missing is that the terms in such sequences follow a pattern which can be described in finitely many words.

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**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638/24 "2004-02-19T13:37:23Z")

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> [@ultrafilter](#):
>
> Actually, an absolutely normal sequence would contain all the works of Shakespeare. Did you really need to revive a two year old thread for a snide, ignorant comment?

It is mostly esoteric mathematical theory. Nobody has produced the hard copy (yet?)!

The pi sequence and the time to achieve the desired product is infinite.

PS u mst bee a sa 2.

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**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-digits-of-pi-random-or-not/74638/25 "2004-02-19T13:49:48Z")

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> [@spingears](#):
>
> It is mostly esoteric mathematical theory. Nobody has produced the hard copy (yet?)!
> 
> The pi sequence and the time to achieve the desired product is infinite.
> 
> PS u mst bee a sa 2.

Good to see that you’re trying to drop the “snide” part. Work on the “ignorant” part for a while, and you may actually be able to make a useful contribution.

Of course, **Joe\_Cool** has probably forgotten about the question he posed a few years ago, and probably ain’t gonna be reading your silly answers anyway, coz he got banned quite some time ago.

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