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Life & fun · May 28, 2020

Breaking a meaningless world record: computing Γ(1/4) to 500b digits

After five weeks of nearly non-stop computation, a new record for the computation of the value has been set: 500 billion digits of precision computed with Alexander Yee’s y-cruncher. This is the Gamma function, which when evaluated with the input , results in Motivation There isn’t a pra

Breaking a meaningless world record: computing Γ(1/4) to 500b digits launched on May 28, 2020 with 12 votes, #1,098 of 4,813 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 6 years on.

Visit andrewsun.com ↗Alternativestop 23% of May 2020

In plain words

This project documents the computation of the mathematical constant Gamma(1/4) to 500 billion digits. Created in 2020, it represents a computational achievement with no practical application beyond the challenge itself. The work appeals to mathematics enthusiasts and those interested in extreme computational feats. What distinguishes this effort is its explicit acknowledgment of being a "meaningless world record"—undertaken purely for the technical challenge of pushing computational limits rather than solving a real-world problem.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

After five weeks of nearly non-stop computation, a new record for the computation of the value has been set: 500 billion digits of precision computed with Alexander Yee’s y-cruncher. This is the Gamma function, which when evaluated with the input , results in Motivation There isn’t a practical need for such an absurd … Continue reading Breaking a meaningless world record: comput

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