Buffon's Needle

Select n:

Number of Needles:

Drop the Needles!

Estimate for \(\pi\):

Weighted Average of All Estimates:

Total Number of Needles Dropped:

Reset Drop Reset All

This app simulates the experiment known as 'Buffon's Needle'. The experiment involves 'randomly' dropping lengths, needles, onto a set of uniformly spaced parallel lines the spacing of which equals the needle's length (although differing lengths yield similar results). The fraction of needles touching any line approaches \(2/\pi\) as the number of needles approaches \(\infty\). Follow the link for details.

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