Some learned it as 2piR squared and others as Dpi squared; either way the answer comes out the same.
At the risk of offending some. A hillbilly decided to go to college to study math. He comes home on holiday. Ma asks what he learned in math. He says; "Ma, I learned Pi r squared". Ma says; "No no son, Pie are round".
What if it were a cornbread muffin?... And cornbread r squared"
the .785 method is not so much a function of Pi but it is in lieu of Pi when plugging the diameter into a formula. For example if the diameter is 4 you readily know the radius is 2. But if the diameter is 3.187 you might not readily see that divided by 2. Because you are squaring the diameter you need to divide Pi by 4 or 2 squared.
Understanding how the .7854 was arrived at and knowing how it is calculated from first principles is the most important thing.
Who says one only remembers 5 minutes of what they learned in 5 years of college?
You're still using Pi. You've just simplified the formula. Pi is the function as it relates to the circle.Hmmm...! Not so much a function of pi...? OK then, but ".7854" does just happen to be the quotient when performing the "function" of ascertaining what 1/4 of 3.1416 might be, or more simplistically....3.1416 divided by 4! I'm not sure that I understand what is in question here.
If I simply punch "3.187² X 4 X .7854 X 8 =" into the calculator (it took me about 6 seconds to perform), I don't have to worry about finding radii or any other details. That simple ".7854" becomes an integral part of THIS formula. This seems (to me) to be a lot simpler than having to first determine the figures necessary to extrapolate for the formula "πr²". And THAT only yields the area of the circle. Now, ya still have to figure-in the height for the volume, and then multiply by the number of cylinders. "My" way takes care of "pi", and ALL of that other superfluous BS....just to figure out how big your flattie (or your Chevy, etc.) is.
"Bore X bore X stroke X .7854 X 8 =" .....easy, peasy! DD
You're still using Pi. You've just simplified the formula. Pi is the function as it relates to the circle.