The ancient Egyptians and Babylonians are known to have approximated the value of pi to some degree, but the credit for the first rigorous calculation of pi goes to the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes.
Archimedes lived in the third century BCE and was one of the most influential mathematicians and scientists of his time. He is famous for his work on geometry, hydrostatics, and mechanics. According to legend, Archimedes set out to find a way to measure the value of pi, and he accomplished this by using a method that involved inscribing and circumscribing polygons around a circle.
Archimedes' method involved drawing regular polygons inside and outside a circle and then calculating their perimeters. By using polygons with more and more sides, he was able to get increasingly accurate approximations of pi. His calculations showed that pi is between 3 1/7 and 3 10/71, which is a remarkably accurate estimate for his time. This method is now known as the "method of exhaustion," and it laid the foundation for many later developments in calculus and mathematical analysis.
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