Revisiting those colliding blocks that compute π

Happy pi day!

My original plan for a Pi Day video this year was to describe an analogy between these colliding blocks that compute π and Grover's algorithm, a topic in quantum computing. As I sat down outlining that video though, it was clear that there's a lot of background required to explain a quantum computing algorithm (shocking, I know), and for the comparison to make any sense, you need to have the original block collision stuff all loaded into your head.

Looking back at the original explainer I made for this topic, I didn’t love it. Rather than cramming a summary into the increasingly heavy quantum computing video, I decided to take the opportunity to make a second edition of that block collision explainer. Told right, it’s a story about problem-solving principles, and the contrast between the pragmatic realities of the setup and the idealism required to see the π makes for some good end-of-video pontificating.

I'd love it if you shared it with anyone in your life who likes Pi Day, and stay tuned for the quantum computing follow-on!