打開百度你虹，輸入“千奇百怪的美國法律：圓周率的值是4”這樣的內容绘搞，很容易就能搜出來“在印第安納州，圓周率法定為4”這樣的結果傅物。顯然夯辖，任何一個上過小學的人都能明確的告訴你，圓周率的值是3.14而非4董饰，那么美國人民究竟出了什么問題蒿褂，要立法確保圓周率的值為4呢？
這事要從100多年前說起卒暂。
1897年的2月啄栓，印第安納州眾議院的秘書將一份《印第安納眾議院第二百四十六條法案》的特別文件呈送到了議長的案頭。這是一份極其特殊的法案也祠，因為它還有一個別名昙楚，叫做《印第安納圓周率法案》。這份法案全文如下：
ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL No. 246
A Bill for an act introducing a new mathematical truth and offered as a contribution to education to be used only by the State of Indiana free of cost by paying any royalties whatever on the same, provided it is accepted and adopted by the official action of the Legislature of 1897.
Section 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: It has been found that a circular area is to the square on a line equal to the quadrant of the circumference, as the area of an equilateral rectangle is to the square on one side. The diameter employed as the linear unit according to the present rule in computing the circle's area is entirely wrong, as it represents the circle's area one and one-fifth times the area of a square whose perimeter is equal to the circumference of the circle. This is because one fifth of the diameter fails to be represented four times in the circle's circumference. For example: if we multiply the perimeter of a square by one-fourth of any line one-fifth greater than one side, we can in like manner make the square's area to appear one-fifth greater than the fact, as is done by taking the diameter for the linear unit instead of the quadrant of the circle's circumference.
Section 2
It is impossible to compute the area of a circle on the diameter as the linear unit without trespassing upon the area outside of the circle to the extent of including one-fifth more area than is contained within the circle's circumference, because the square on the diameter produces the side of a square which equals nine when the arc of ninety degrees equals eight. By taking the quadrant of the circle's circumference for the linear unit, we fulfill the requirements of both quadrature and rectification of the circle's circumference. Furthermore, it has revealed the ratio of the chord and arc of ninety degrees, which is as seven to eight, and also the ratio of the diagonal and one side of a square which is as ten to seven, disclosing the fourth important fact, thatthe ratio of the diameter and circumference is as five-fourths to four; and because of these facts and the further fact that the rule in present use fails to work both ways mathematically, it should be discarded as wholly wanting and misleading in its practical applications.
Section 3
In further proof of the value of the author's proposed contribution to education and offered as a gift to the State of Indiana, is the fact of his solutions of the trisection of the angle, duplication of the cube and quadrature of the circle having been already accepted as contributions to science by the American Mathematical Monthly, the leading exponent of mathematical thought in this country. And be it remembered that these noted problems had been long since given up by scientific bodies as insolvable mysteries and above man's ability to comprehend.
看不懂诈嘿？沒關系堪旧，我來為你翻譯一下。這份法案的大意如下：愚蠢的人類啊奖亚，你們一直搞錯了圓周率的數(shù)值淳梦，3.14159神馬的，根本就不對昔字！我現(xiàn)在證明出來了圓周率的值應該是3.2谭跨，同時我基于這個圓周率還搞出來了用尺規(guī)三等分任意角和倍立方體得法子！我的這些個偉大發(fā)明已經在美國數(shù)學月刊上發(fā)表了李滴，所以我現(xiàn)在請求議會立法將圓周率確定為3.2——此外，雖然我已經為我的這些偉大發(fā)明申請了專利蛮瞄，但是由于偉大的我心系本州教育事業(yè)所坯，你們通過了這個法案以后本州可以免費使用這些方法！
印第安納州眾議院的議長瞬間就濕潤了挂捅，他迅速叫人驗證這個人的說辭是否屬實芹助，手下很快就找來了美國數(shù)學月刊，證明這個人的相關證明確實被刊發(fā)了。要知道状土，尺規(guī)作圖“化圓為方”无蜂、“三等分任意角”、“倍立方體”這三大問題可是家喻戶曉的古希臘三大幾何難題蒙谓！議長馬上決定開會討論這個議案斥季，這關系到我印第安納州在科學界的領先地位，切切拖沓不得累驮！
眾議院的議員們面對如此高深的法案瞬間也濕潤了酣倾，有議員提出建議：這么高深的法案，咱們是不是應該交給財經委員會來探討呢谤专？畢竟他們整天接觸數(shù)字躁锡，比較專業(yè)啊置侍！但是另外一個議員否定了這個提議映之，他認為應該交給教育委員會，畢竟人家這個法案的提出是為了孩子們著想的袄弧杠输！大家紛紛稱善，于是這份法案被提交到教育委員會討論算色，教育委員會的委員們開會研究后得出結論——這個法案十分合理抬伺，天衣無縫，建議馬上投票立法灾梦！于是眾議院以67票同意峡钓，0票反對的表決通過了這份法案。
按照美國的立法程序若河，這個法案將被提交至參議院進行表決能岩，如果參議院通過的話，只需要州長簽字就可以實現(xiàn)立法萧福。而這部法律由于其特殊性（不涉及利益平衡）拉鹃，很可能被順風順水的通過。
提出這個霸氣側漏的法案的人名叫Edward J. Goodwin鲫忍，是一名醫(yī)生兼數(shù)學民科膏燕。雖然1830年，法國數(shù)學家伽羅華的理論已經能夠證明尺規(guī)作圖完成三等分角等問題是不可能的悟民，但是直到1882年坝辫，德國數(shù)學家林德曼才證明了圓周率π=3.1415926......是超越數(shù)，并且尺規(guī)作圖是不可能作出超越數(shù)來射亏，所以用尺規(guī)作圖的方式解決化圓為方近忙、三等分角等問題是不可能實現(xiàn)的竭业。而遠在美國大陸的Edward同學顯然沒看過林德曼的論文，他在用自創(chuàng)的方法計算出圓周率等于3.2之后及舍，十分激動的發(fā)現(xiàn)什么三等分角啊未辆，倍立方體啊這些問題全都迎刃而解！而他投稿的《美國數(shù)學月刊》在這個年代為了鼓勵美國本土數(shù)學發(fā)展锯玛，在錄用文章時頗有點“不拘一格降人才”的意思咐柜，因此雖然編輯發(fā)現(xiàn)了他證明中的問題，但是在多次溝通之后還是刊發(fā)了他的證明更振，只是在文章前標注了“Published by the request of the author”的字樣炕桨。而美國的版權保護法顯然不可能阻止他為自己的證明方法申請專利……
于是Edward同學迅速成為了印第安納州參議院的熱門人物，大家以為一個冉冉升起的科學新星馬上就要誕生了肯腕。而報道了這事的Der T?gliche Telegraph這份報紙又是一份德語報紙献宫，因此在社會上也沒能第一時間引起大家的廣泛注意，所以眼瞅著印第安納州立法通過圓周率等于3.2這事就要成了……
在這個關鍵的時刻实撒，一位數(shù)學家的到來姊途，拯救了整個印第安納議會，令他們不至于成為全美國乃至全世界的笑柄知态。
這位教授名叫Clarence Abiathar Waldo捷兰，是普度大學的一名數(shù)學教授。他到印第安納州是為了和參議員們商討印第安納科大年度撥款事宜的负敏，當參議員們興沖沖的向他介紹Edward這位數(shù)學界的新星時贡茅，Waldo哈哈大笑，輕蔑的說道這種貨色我在普度門口見的多了其做，這你們也信顶考？
信啊，我們都準備立法通過圓周率等于3.2了妖泄！
啥＞匝亍！蹈胡？渊季？你們印第安納的議員都是白癡么！罚渐！
氣瘋了的Waldo迅速在參議院里開展了一輪科普活動却汉，經過他的教育（或者說嘲諷），大家紛紛明白了過來……
這時候其他報紙也注意到了印第安納州準備立法確認圓周率等于3.2這事了荷并，全國各地的報紙對這事大加嘲諷病涨，認為印第安納州議員們的腦子都壞掉了。惱羞成怒的議員們在參議院的會議上駁回了這份法案璧坟，聲稱Edward同學用這種垃圾浪費著參議院寶貴的時間和精力既穆，簡直就是要自絕于人民！或許他們已經忘了雀鹃，就在一個禮拜前，他們還將Edward稱為天才來的。
雖然事情得到了圓滿的解決噩茄，印第安納州的臉面勉強得以保存炉峰，但是經過媒體的傳播與發(fā)酵，很快全世界就都知道這件囧事了傅瞻。以訛傳訛之后踢代，到了今天，你很容易就能在網(wǎng)上搜到印第安納洲有條囧法：pi的值是4嗅骄，而不是3.14這樣的內容了胳挎。
這個故事告訴我們：民科有毒，貽害無窮溺森，今天你為民科站臺慕爬，明天民科就會讓你被世界恥笑……
