26 Jun
2004
26 Jun
'04
10:02 a.m.
There's
also a method I learnt long ago that is laid out in the same
way as a long division. I've forgotten it because it seemed
moderately pointless!
Today, it is, when a computer can cough up several thousand digits in
the time it takes you to work out three by hand.
Knowing how to do it, though, involves learning enough of the theory
behind it to stand you in good stead in other cases, though.
(Assuming
you actually understand it. Learning how to do it by rote, without
understanding why, _is_ pretty pointless.)