How to Use PiĀ in Google Sheets [3 Easy Examples]

Pi is an important irrational number for a plethora of applications. Pi is the ratio of the diameter and the circumference of the circle. Pi always has a value approximate to 3.14159. As the number is infinite, it is most commonly denoted using the Greek letter π.

Google Sheets is a great spreadsheet tool used by data analysts worldwide due to its fantastic set of features and online live-backup, all of which are free to use for individuals and small businesses.

It can perform many complex tasks and calculations. Some of these include analyses using the Pi function. For example, you may want to figure out some calculations from a beautiful pie chart.

This article will tell you about the Pi in Google Sheets formula and how to use it, with a few examples and ways to input the Pi symbol into your spreadsheets.

Ā How to Insert Pi in Google Sheets

Pi function in google sheets

There are essentially two ways to utilize the Google Sheets Pi function.

  • To input the Pi function, click on the cell you want to put the Pi function in and click on the InsertĀ tab. In the dropdown menu, click on Function. You should see several options to choose from, click on Math and select PiĀ from there.
    how to insert the pi function
  • If you’re familiar with formulas, then just click on the cell and type in =PI( )

The Pi function does not have any arguments, so you can’t put anything in between the brackets. Doing this will result in an error. This is because the function represents Pi and not an actual formula. So, consider this theĀ number, not a formula,Ā when using it in your sheets.

Circle Calculations With Pi Function

Here are a few iterations of syntax you can use in some circle calculations with examples.

How to Use Pi in Google Sheets to Calculate Diameter

uisng pi to calculate diameter

You can calculate the diameter of a circle by dividing the circumference by Pi. The syntax for this calculation is:

= (circumference) / PI ( )

Assume the value of circumference is 20. To find the diameter, you simply have to write this in the cell:

= 20 / PI()

You can also calculate the radius of a circle by dividing the circle’s diameter by 2.

Pi Spreadsheet – Circumference

pi circumference

You calculate an unknown circumference by multiplying the diameter with Pi. The syntax for this calculation is:

= (diameter) * PI ( )

Assume the value of the diameter is 20. To find the circumference, just write this in the cell:

= 20 * PI()

Area

Pi area

The formula to calculate the area of a circle is Ļ€ * r².Ā If you know the diameter of the circle, first divide it by 2, and now you can calculate its area using the following syntax:

= PI ( ) * (diameter / 2) ^ 2

Assume the diameter is 20. In that case, you simply have to write this to calculate the area of the circle:

= PI() * ( 20 / 2 ) ^ 2

How to Type Pi in Google Sheets

pi symbol

Using the CHAR function is the best way to create a Pi symbol in Google Sheets. This function allows you to convert numbers into characters. This is done using the Unicode table, which is the industry standard for handling text on a computer.

You can input the CHAR function into your Google Sheets using two methods.

Method 1

  1. Click on the cell in which you want to use the CHAR function
  2. Click on Insert in the top bar and then click on Function
  3. Navigate to the Text submenu and click on CHAR.
  4. Type in the number and press Enter. The Pi symbol should appear. The character code for the Pi symbol is 960.

Method 2

You can use a formula to do this to save your time. Simply select the cell and type in: =CHAR(960)

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Insert Pi in Google Sheets?

You can use the CHAR function, which is used to convert numbers into characters according to the Unicode table. Use this formula to enter the Pi symbol in your sheets:

=CHAR(960)

Make sure to use the Unicode number 960Ā for Pi and not 129383 as it might not give the desired results.

What is Pi on Google Sheets?

The Pi function in Sheets can be used to do circle calculations. The Pi can be defined as the ratio between the circle’s circumference and diameter. The mathematical value of Pi is approximate 3.141592654.

How Do You Multiply Pi on Google Sheets?

You can multiply Pi by typing the syntax for the Pi function and using the ā€œ*ā€ symbol to multiply any number with Pi.

How Do I Insert Math Symbols in Google Sheets?

To insert special characters into your Google Sheets, you can look up the Unicode of the character through google and use the CHARĀ function to input the code, which will turn it into the special character.

You can also achieve this using Google Docs, to do this:

  1. Open a new Google Doc file.
  2. Click on Insert on the top bar and click on Special characters. This will show you a menu where you can look for your character using the search bar or by looking through the list to find it.
  3. Once you choose the character, it will appear in your document. Simply copy it using Ctrl + C and paste it into your spreadsheet by using Ctrl + V.

You can also use the copy and paste method by searching X symbol into Google and copying the result.

Wrapping Up the Pi Function

Using Pi in Google Sheets becomes as simple as tapping on your keyboard a few times once you know the shortcuts. If you found this article useful, check out some of our other guides to improve your spreadsheet skills. Even better, you could sign up for a courseĀ to become a Google Sheets master.

More Useful Functions in Google Sheets:

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Chris Daniel

Chris Daniel

Chris is a spreadsheet expert and content writer. He has a double Bachelor's Degree in Teaching and has been working in the education industry for over 11 years. His experience makes him adept at breaking down complex topics so that everyone is able to understand.
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