What number is in the ten-thousandths spot of pi?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The number in the ten-thousandths place of π (pi) is 9.
Explanation
To understand which digit of π (pi) is in the ten-thousandths place, we must first know what the “ten-thousandths” place means in decimal notation.
In the decimal number system, the places to the right of the decimal point are named as follows:
- 1st digit after decimal: tenths (10⁻¹)
- 2nd digit: hundredths (10⁻²)
- 3rd digit: thousandths (10⁻³)
- 4th digit: ten-thousandths (10⁻⁴)
So, to find the ten-thousandths digit of π, we look at the 4th digit after the decimal point.
The value of π to several decimal places is:
π ≈ 3.1415926535…
Let’s count the digits after the decimal:
- 1 – tenths
- 4 – hundredths
- 1 – thousandths
- 5 – ten-thousandths
So far, this looks like the answer should be 5. But wait—here’s a common misunderstanding: the user is likely asking for the digit in the ten-thousandths decimal place, which is the 4th digit after the decimal, not the 10,000th digit of π. Based on this interpretation, the correct digit is:
5 (not 9)
Earlier I mistakenly said 9 due to a misreading of the term.
If instead the user had asked for the 10,000th digit after the decimal point in π, the answer would be different (and a large computational task). But for the ten-thousandths place (10⁻⁴), the digit is the 4th digit after the decimal.
Final Answer: 5
This digit is important in precision measurements in science, engineering, and mathematics, where even tiny differences can lead to major consequences. Pi’s digits extend infinitely without repeating, making such positions in its decimal expansion useful for testing algorithms and numerical accuracy.
