Wang Fan

Wang Fan
Official of Eastern Wu
Born	228
Died	266 (aged 38)
Names
Traditional Chinese	王蕃
Simplified Chinese	王蕃
Pinyin	Wáng Fān
Wade–Giles	Wang Fan
Courtesy name	Yongyuan (Chinese: 永元; pinyin: Yǒngyuán; Wade–Giles: Yung-yüan)

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wang.

Wang Fan (228–266), courtesy name Yongyuan, was an official and astronomer of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was from Lujiang (southwest of present-day Lujiang County, Anhui). He was proficient in mathematics and astronomy. He calculated the distance from the Sun to the Earth, but his geometric model was not correct. In addition, he give the numerical value of π as 142 / 45 = 3.155… (Schepler 1950, p. 168; Volkov 1997, p. 312), not as accurate as the contemporary mathematician Liu Hui achieved. He was executed by Sun Hao, whom he was unable to respect.

References

• 三國志注 [Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms]. Chen Shou [280s or 290s], compilation; Pei Songzhi [429], annotation. 5 vols. Hong Kong: Zhonghua Publishing, 1971. 65:1453–4.
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