 Basic constants

 Conversion constants
 References and Links
Basic math constants 
π,
Circumference of a disc with
Archimedes' 3.141 592 653 589 793 238 462 643 ... 
unit diameter. 
constant 
√2,
Diagonal of a square with unit
Pythagora's 1.414 213 562 373 095 048 801 688 ... 
side. 
constant 
e, Euler
2.718 281 828 459 045 235 360 287 ...  Base of natural logarithms. 
number 
γ, Euler-
limit of [(1+1/2+1/3+...1/n)-
Mascheroni 0.577 215 664 901 532 860 606 512 ... 
ln(n)]. 
constant 
ln(2),
Natural
0.693 147 180 559 945 309 417 232 ...  eln(2) = 2
logarithm of
2 
φ, Golden
0.618 033 988 749 894 848 204 586 ...  φ = (1-φ)/φ or φ = (√5 -1)/2. 
ratio 
Conversion constants 
1 rad,
Radian in 57.295 779 513 082 320 876 798 154 ...  180/π 
degrees 
1°, Degree in
0.017 453 292 519 943 295 769 237 ...  π/180 
radians 
Math constants with particular physical significance 
ρ2, 2D close
ρ2 = π / 2√3. Best covering of
packing 0.906 899 682 117 089 252 970 392 ... 
2D plane by circles. 
ratio 
ρ3, 3D close
ρ3 = π / 3√2. Best covering of
packing 0.740 480 489 693 061 041 169 313 ... 
3D space by spheres. 
ratio 
ξ0, First root
of Bessel 2.404 825 557 695 ...  Also first root of sinc(0,x). 
J0(x) 
ξ2, First root 3.831 705 970 207 ...  Also first root of sinc(2,x). 
of Bessel
J1(x) 
ξ3, First root
of [sin(x)/x - 4.493 409 457 909 ...  Also first root of sinc(3,x). 
cos(x)] 
ξ4, First root
of [2J1(x)/x - 5.135 622 301 840 ...  Also first root of sinc(4,x). 
J0(x)] 
Various math constants 
ζ(3), Apery' Special value of the Riemann
1.202 056 903 159 59 ... 
constant  function ζ(x). 
B, Brun' Sum of the reciprocals of twin
1.902 160 58 ... 
constant  primes 
C=
C, Catalan's
0.915 965 594 177 219 015 ...  Sum(n=0,1,2,...)[(-1)^/(2n+1)
constant 
^2] 
α,
Appears in the theory of
Feigenbaum 2.502 907 875 0 ... 
chaos. 
constant 
δ,
Appears in the theory of
Feigenbaum 4.669 201 609 1 ... 
chaos. 
constant 
M, Gauss'
Length of lemniscate
lemniscate 1.198 140 234 735 59... 
[r2=cos(2θ)] is 2π/M.
constant 
A, Gleisher-
Kinkelin 1.282 427 129 ...  Appears in number theory. 
constant 
λ, Golomb-
Longest cycle distribution in
Dickman 0.624 329 989 ... 
random permutations. 
constant 
λ, Laplace
Let η = √(1+λ2); then λeη =
limit 0.662 743 419 3... 
1+η.
constant 
M3,
M3 = Sum(i,j,k)[(-
Madelung's -1.747 564 594 633 ... 
1)^(i+j+k)/sqr(i^2+j^2+k^2)] 
constant 
A, Moving 2.219 531 668 871 ...  Greatest sofa that can turn a
sofa
hallway corner. 
constant 
α, Otter's
2.955 765 285 652 ...  Appears in tree enumeration. 
constant 
β, Otter's
0.534 949 606 142 ...  Appears in tree enumeration. 
constant 
p3, Polya's
random- Probability to return back in a
0.340 537 339 287 ... 
walk 3D-lattice random walk. 
constant 
m, Rényi's
Density of randomly parked
parking 0.747 597 920 253 ... 
cars in a street. 
constant 
G,
Wilbraham- G = Integral of sin(θ)/θ from 0
1.851 937 051 982 466 170 4... 
Gibbs to π 
constant 

References sorted by year and by the first author