4. Archimedes calculated pi using A. polygons B. calculus C. computers D. decimals

Archimedes calculated pi using a method involving polygons! He inscribed and circumscribed polygons around a circle, gradually increasing the number of sides. This clever approach allowed him to hone in on pi's value more accurately. With 96-sided polygons, he estimated pi to be between 3.1408 and 3.1429—pretty close to what we use today! While Archimedes was a math whiz, he also faced some common pitfalls! One mistake was not realizing that as his polygons increased in sides, the calculation complexity went up too. It teaches us that even great minds can trip when taking on too much at once. Balancing complexity with clarity is key in problem-solving!