However, the work of a single author is unlikely to constitute an encyclopedia, especially in a subject as broad as mathematics. The intended audience is quite diverse, ranging from laypersons to professional mathematicians. Therefore, this work is more like a mathematical dictionary than an encyclopedia. Entries are arranged alphabetically and the work as a whole lacks a table of contents and an index, both necessary additions to the print version. The CD-ROM version offers a number of functional advantages beyond that which a print index could provide.
Entries range in length from a few lines to several pages.
The entry for pi serves to illustrate the latter situation. In addition to pi's basic definition, an interesting discussion of its historical development is provided along with ancient and modern attempts to calculate its value. Reference is also made to some of the unexpected places where pi shows up, as in the Gaussian Distribution, the distribution of primes, and elsewhere. An extensive analysis of series and functions involving pi constitutes the main portion of the entry. The conclusion offers several mnemonic devices, which help you, remember up to 740 decimal digits of pi.