Math Is Fun Forum

Fistfiz

Member

Registered: 2012-07-20

Posts: 33

tau=2*pi

http://tauday.com/tau-manifesto

To be brief, the "tauists", as they call themselves, argue that the constant pi should be replaced with tau=2*pi, which is much more natural.

I have to say that, to me, the manifesto was really convincing; as i see it, the use of tau instead of pi brings clarity and coherence with other formulas (for example area of a circular sector).

What do you think about it?

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30+2=28 (Mom's identity)

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

I think it would devastate people who have already memorized thousands of pi's digits... On the other hand, mayve those people deserve such devastation...

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: tau=2*pi

Hi;

I think it is a great idea. But I do not think anyone is going to go for a change.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Mathegocart

Member

Registered: 2012-04-29

Posts: 2,226

Re: tau=2*pi

http://tauday.com/tau-manifesto

To be brief, the "tauists", as they call themselves, argue that the constant pi should be replaced with tau=2*pi, which is much more natural.

I have to say that, to me, the manifesto was really convincing; as i see it, the use of tau instead of pi brings clarity and coherence with other formulas (for example area of a circular sector).

What do you think about it?

thats so annoying because pi was made,like THOUSANDS OF YEARRRRRRRRSSSS AGO!This idea is 0 YEARS OLD!:mad:

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The integral of hope is reality.
May bobbym have a wonderful time in the pearly gates of heaven.
He will be sorely missed.

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

There's no reason to get so upset...

Actually, the idea is several years old, at least 3 or 4 if not long. And it is not a bad idea, because some formulas to become just a little bit prettier, but in my opinion, it is not very useful...

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: tau=2*pi

The guys who have memorized thousands of digits can now learn how to multiply thousands of digits.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

n872yt3r

Member

Registered: 2013-01-21

Posts: 392

Re: tau=2*pi

I memorized this much of Pi: 3.141592653589796264883. I envy that... Chinese guy!

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- n872yt3r
Math Is Fun Rocks!
By the power of the exponent, I square and cube you!

noelevans

Member

Registered: 2012-07-20

Posts: 236

Re: tau=2*pi

Wasn't there a guy that bc (before computers) calculated pi out to 700 places by hand.  Then ac (after
computers) it was discovered that he made a mistake in the 200th digit and all the rest was trash
since each digit depended on the previous digit.  Probably spent the great bulk of his 15 year project
on the last 500 digits.  Mercy me!  But 200 digits of pi ain't bad, eh? 

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Writing "pretty" math (two dimensional) is easier to read and grasp than LaTex (one dimensional).
LaTex is like painting on many strips of paper and then stacking them to see what picture they make.

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

Actually, his score was 527 out of 707 digits correct! That is a great accomplishment!

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: tau=2*pi

Perhaps tau would have been a better choice, but there are also arguments supporting pi. Area = pi r^2 for example. And some stats formulas have plain old pi in them.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

I think their strongest argument are the radians. A tau radians is one full turn, half a tau radians is half a turn, and so on... On all other accounts they are either the same or pi is better.

---

“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: tau=2*pi

Maybe we could come up with an argument for pi/2. It is a "right" angle, so it must be right!

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

There would certainly be some arguments for it, but also arguments against it. For now, I don’t think there is any reason for switching from pi...

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: tau=2*pi

Hi;

Shanks it seems was doing all that calculating for same reason we do it today. He wanted to know if there is some pattern in the digits of pi.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

n872yt3r

Member

Registered: 2013-01-21

Posts: 392

Re: tau=2*pi

I agree with you, mathgogocart.
The ANCIENT GREEKS INVENTED IT IN THE ERA OF BC!

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- n872yt3r
Math Is Fun Rocks!
By the power of the exponent, I square and cube you!

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: tau=2*pi

They didn't invent it. They gave it a name.

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“Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.

n872yt3r

Member

Registered: 2013-01-21

Posts: 392

Re: tau=2*pi

Sorry; I get so mixed up with the difference of inventions and discoveries.-

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- n872yt3r
Math Is Fun Rocks!
By the power of the exponent, I square and cube you!

Fistfiz

Member

Registered: 2012-07-20

Posts: 33

Re: tau=2*pi

Maybe we could come up with an argument for pi/2. It is a "right" angle, so it must be right!

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30+2=28 (Mom's identity)