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The square $$\sqrt 2+ \sqrt{3} \approx 3.14$$ Is this a coincidence or is their some mathemtical significance?

idm
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user34304
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    Just a coincidence. $\pi$ is transcendental, while $\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}$ is algebraic. – mweiss Sep 12 '14 at 17:56
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    $\pi$ is $not$ equal to $3.14$! – LearningMath Sep 12 '14 at 17:58
  • @mweiss: Great remark :-) – idm Sep 12 '14 at 18:01
  • This is the not a duplicate! The question linked to asked for a geometric explanation, whereas this one asks for any kind of explanation. There might be one from analysis that is more persuasive than the geometric arguments given in answer to the other question. – Dave Sep 12 '14 at 18:12
  • @Dave The OP wasn't specific, he just mentioned "some mathematical significance" and the question linked to presents answers fulfilling the needs of the OP. – Hakim Sep 12 '14 at 18:18
  • @Hakim No, it doesn't. Those answers are not particularly persuasive, and it can't be excluded that non-geometric answers would be better. It's not the OP's job to distinguish his question from others that have been asked on the off-chance that people are going to come along and say it's the same question, when it really wasn't. The question he was asking is different in that it's more general, so why should he be "specific"? – Dave Sep 12 '14 at 18:29
  • @Dave You make some really good points, however the OP needs to comment explaining whether the answers in the questions linked to suffice him or if he needs an analyst approach. – Hakim Sep 12 '14 at 18:36
  • @Hakim, Perhaps he will have to, now that it's been closed. – Dave Sep 12 '14 at 18:40

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I think that this and this are fairly relevant here. It is the case that $\sqrt 2 + \sqrt 3 \approx 3.14 \approx \pi$, but it is not the case that $\sqrt 2 + \sqrt 3 = \pi$.

You are falling victim to the "strong law of small numbers".

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Ben Grossmann
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