What is PI in Google Sheets?
The PI() function in Google Sheets returns the mathematical constant PI. It is a value in a circle that represents the ratio of the circumference to its diameter. The PI in Google Sheets takes no arguments and only returns the value of PI, which is approximately 3.14159. The ROUND function can be used to format the value of π to a specific number of decimal places.
For example, you can use the PI() function in various calculations, and here, we use it to calculate the area of a circle with a radius of 10. You can use the formula =PI() * 10*10 or, as shown below, the PI()*reference holding the radius values. Just enter this formula directly into the cell where you want the result to appear.
Key Takeaways
- The value of Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, and this value is approximately 3.14159. The PI function allows you to do circle calculations in your Google spreadsheet.
- The syntax for using the PI() function in Google Sheets is as follows: =PI(). The function does not need any argument to return the value of PI up to 9 decimal places precision.
- You can use the function PI in Google Sheets in various mathematical calculations. For example:
- Area of a Circle: =PI() * radius^2
- Circumference of a Circle: =2 * PI() * radius, etc.
- Use the ROUND function to round the value of PI to specific decimal places.
Syntax
The syntax of PI in Google Sheets is as follows:
=PI()
When used in a formula or calculation, the PI() function returns the value of PI, which can then be used to perform additional calculations. This function returns the value of π ( which is approximately 3.14159265358).
How to use PI in Google Sheets?
PI in Google Sheets can be entered in two ways.
- Manually enter the formula
- Through the Google Menu Bar
To use the function PI in Google Sheets, follow these steps:
Step 1: Let us look at a simple example where we enter two different radii to find the difference between the areas of two circles.
Step 2: Click on the cell where you want to display the difference between the two radii. To find the area of Circle 1, enter the formula below in cell C1. You can also enter the formula manually.
=PI()*B1*B1.
Step 3: Press Enter. You get the area of Circle 1. Now, drag the formula to Circle 2.
Step 4: Now, you get the difference in area between the two circles by subtracting C2 and C1.
Step 5: We can find the area between them in the above way.
Manually entering the PI makes it a versatile function that can be used in a variety of mathematical calculations in different fields, from Physics to finance.
Using the Google Menubar
- Choose the cell where you want to enter the formula.
- Go to the menu bar and click on “Insert” – “Function” – “Math” – “PI”
- Enter the function PI in Google sheets for calculations of your requirement.
4. “Enter” key.
How to Insert PI symbol in Google Sheets?
To insert the symbol for PI in Google Sheets, use the CHAR function. It converts numbers into characters according to the Unicode table and can output the symbol for pi in your Google Sheet.
Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the symbol of PI.
Step 2: Here, we choose the cell A1. Type the following in A1.
=CHAR(960)
Step 3: Press Enter. You get the symbol of PI. Certain fonts make the symbol look better. Set the cell to Merriweather font to give it a nice appearance as below.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts
This can be done on if supported by your keyboard or operating system.
Note: If your PC has Windows, hold down the Alt key and type 227 (Alt+227). This works with only some fonts and settings.
Examples
The value of PI is crucial for various financial calculations and indirectly important in finance. It can be used for pricing options based on the normal distribution of stock price returns whose probability density function involves π. Calculations for bond duration use continuous compounding where you have exponential functions with π in various probability models.
Mainly, π is used to calculate the circumference and area of circles. Let us look at some examples below on how to use the PI function in Google Sheets in different ways.
Example #1 – Calculate the circumference
Here’s a step-by-step example of how to calculate the circumference of a circle using PI in Google Sheets
Step 1: Open a new Google Sheets spreadsheet. Click on cell A1 and enter the radius of the circle. Here, we enter 20 cm.
Step 2: Enter the following formula in cell B1 to calculate the circumference:
=2 * PI() * A1
- 2 is the constant for the circumference formula.
- PI() is the function that returns the value of π.
- A1 is the cell where you entered the radius.
Step 3: Press Enter. Cell B1 will now display the circumference of the circle.
Step 4: You can adjust the decimal places to improve the readability. For this, select cell B1.
Go to Format – Number – Number.
Click on the Increase decimal places or Decrease decimal places buttons which can be found in the toolbar to adjust the number of decimal places as needed.
Thus, you can calculate and display the circumference of a circle using PI in Google Sheets.
Example #2 – Calculate the diameter
To calculate the diameter of a circle using PI in Google Sheets, first understand the relationship between the diameter and the circumference. The diameter can be calculated directly if you know the circumference. Let us look at a simple example.
Example: Calculating the Diameter of a Circle from Circumference
Step 1: Enter the circumference of the circle in a Google sheet. Let us enter 25 in cell A1.
Step 2: Click on cell B1. Enter the following formula to calculate the diameter:
=A1 / PI()
- A1 is the circumference.
Step 3: Press Enter. Cell B1 will now display the diameter of the circle.
Example #3 – Calculate the area of a circle
Similar to the above examples, let us find the area of a circle using the PI function in Google sheets. For that you can include the following steps.
Step 1: Given the radius 12 in cell B1, we use the following formula to calculate the area of a circle in cell B2.
Step 2: Press Enter. You get the area of the circle as shown below.
Step 3: You can use formatting to adjust the decimal values as you wish.
Important Things to Note
- The value of π returned by the =PI() function is precise up to 9 decimal places.
- You can use cell formatting to show more decimal places if needed. In the menu, select Format, go to Number, and choose Custom Number Format where you can adjust the number of decimal places as required.
- If you need to display PI with a specific number of decimal places, you can use functions such as ROUND. For example: to round up PI to 4 decimal places, use
- =ROUND(PI(), 4).
- π is used in combination with trigonometric and geometric functions. In trigonometry, to convert an angle into radians, multiply the angle by PI()/180 or use the RADIANS function.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can use the custom number format feature to accurately control how decimal places are displayed when using PI. First, select the cells and choose Format – Number – More Formats – Custom number format. Then, you can input specific formatting codes to define how numbers should appear. In addition, in Google Sheets, the ROUND function can be used to adjust the value of PI to the nearest whole number or specified decimal place.
The area can be calculated as follows: Area of a Circle: =PI() * radius^2
Suppose you know the circumference is of value 25. The diameter is calculated as the circumference divided by the value of pi: =25/PI().
• PI in Google Sheets is used in geometry circle measurements. π is used to calculate the circumference and area of circles. The circumference of a circle is C=2πr, and the area is A=πr2, where r is the radius.
• It is helpful in trigonometric calculations where π radians are equal to 180 degrees, making it useful for conversions between radians and degrees.
• PI is used in signal processing, including Fourier transforms, which decompose signals into their constituent frequencies.
• It is embedded in financial models that rely on the normal distribution.
Download Template
This article must be helpful to understand the PI in Google Sheets, with its formula and examples. You can download the template here to use it instantly.
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