I haven't looked at it, but I think I copied it from some continued fraction
approximation in Hakmem, probably written out by Bill Gosper.
There are likely faster-converging formulas known now.
This brings up an interesting issue: the file float.lisp was originally
written by me, but large parts were added by others (Raymond Toy, perhaps?).
Almost all the authorship is removed, and the copyright at the top mentions
only Bill Schelter. I think I understand Bill's motivation in putting his
copyright on every file, but to a novice it might suggest that Bill actually
wrote all the code. In some files he did. In other files I suspect the
only change he made was to put the copyright message on the top.
My suggestion is that any time a change is made in the code, the author's
name is attached to the code. Not everyone is going to have the source code
control system available.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu
> [mailto:maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu] On Behalf Of van Nek
> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 6:32 AM
> To: Maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: comppi
>
>
> I am interested in the underlying theorem for the computation
> of pi in comppi in float.lisp.
> Perhaps I am too stupid to recognize it or simply I don't know it.
> Can anybody help?
> Thanks in advance
>
> Volker van Nek
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