What is the value of e^\pi - \pi?

[rohanprabhu]

I read somewhere that e^\pi - \pi = 20.

1. Is it true?
2. I tried finding out.. but all I've reached till is:

<br /> e^{\pi} = \cos{(i \pi)} - i \sin{(i \pi)}<br />

what do i do from here on>

 

[CompuChip]

Probably it was an engineer who told you
The difference with 20 is about 9.00021 x 10^-4. So it's an approximate equality (which is, for a mathematician, of course not an equality).

 

[Gib Z]

It's a nice example of an "almost integer". Mathworld has a nice on them, its got many other expressions that are "almost integers" like yours.

 

[rohanprabhu]

now i remember where i got it from: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/e_to_the_pi_minus_pi.png but since i didn't remember it properly, i assumed the wrong meaning of it :D