Tau Day Approaches! No Pi(e) for you!

[Bells]

http://tauday.com/

So, apparently Pi is wrong... ?

Warning, we're about to get into really... really... nerdy stuff. Full Math Gear on people! we're going in...

March 14, or 3/14, is known as “Pi Day” because of its resemblance to the first three digits in the decimal expansion of ? (pi), which is defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter:

?=CD=3.14…

As the “circle constant”, ? is the object of virtually unlimited adulation, so you are probably under the impression that ? is a particularly important number. I am sorry to report that you have been misinformed.

The true circle constant is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its radius, not to its diameter. This number, called ? (tau), is equal to 2?, so ? is 12?—and March 14 is thus Half Tau Day. (Of course, since ?=6.28…, June 28, or 6/28, is Tau Day itself.) Although it is of great historical importance, the mathematical significance of ? is simply that it is one-half ?.

But how can this be? What about trigonometry? What about Euler’s identity? What about ?r2? Can ? really be wrong? All your questions and more are answered here, in an article called The Tau Manifesto.

Also this


H69YH5TnNXI



So, if in the coming week you hear a lot of geeks talking about Tau... now you know!

[Flarecobra]

This is the first time I heard of this term.

[TDK]

Having taken calculus (a number of them) and trigonometry, I think I can say that pi is more right than tau because I have never used tau.

I'm sure someone more mathematically inclined will readily step in and correct me. :P

[Arcanum]

This number, called ? (tau), is equal to 2?, so ? is 12?
the mathematical significance of ? is simply that it is one-half ?.
This article seems confused as to what ? is equal to.

[TDK]

I think that's probably a result of whatever text input or font or whatever not being able to handle greek characters. :S Prolly npf when it was copied and pasted, I'd guess.

[Bells]

Indeed! In the original page the text was all properly converted to the right Formulas and symbols

[Mr.Bookworm]

Pi isn't "wrong". Tau is equal to 2(pi). You can thus use tau in place of pi in equations, substituting the radius for the diameter, which proponents of tau argue is more natural.

It's a simplicity thing, not a matter of basic mathematics being wrong.

Pi is a catchier word, anyway.

[Arcanum]

I think that's probably a result of whatever text input or font or whatever not being able to handle greek characters. :S Prolly npf when it was copied and pasted, I'd guess.
Indeed! In the original page the text was all properly converted to the right Formulas and symbols
http://www.nuklearforums.com/images/icons/lolitrollu.png

I'm not sure how I could have made my lame joke even more obvious without actually typing "this post contains a joke."

[DarkDrgon]

simultaneous browsing of DakkaDakka, Warseer, and NPF has caused me to be greatly disappointed by this thread.

http://grimcron.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/tauempire-cover.jpg

[Arcanum]

simultaneous browsing of DakkaDakka, Warseer, and NPF has caused me to be greatly disappointed by this thread.

http://grimcron.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/tauempire-cover.jpg

I'm not even all that into 40K and that's what I thought this thread was about before I walked through the door :(

[akaSM]

Pi is WRONG

Tau OTOH is just HALF WRONG

[Bells]

Please... you wanna go Dakka with me?

Everybody knows the Tau are just a Lame ripoff of the Asshimar...

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120524060009/gundam/images/9/98/NRX-044_Asshimar_%28suit%29.jpg

Probably cause the Asshimar uses Pi ! It's twice cooler and has Twice more Dakka... it's all very mathematical...

[Bard The 5th LW]

Don't we have a lot riding on Pi by this point? Like, if its wrong, what does that imply about past geometric achievements?

[Bells]

Don't we have a lot riding on Pi by this point? Like, if its wrong, what does that imply about past geometric achievements?

"It's all by half" now i guess?

[Mr.Bookworm]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWvVF9ptZOs/T6t1InIWQsI/AAAAAAAABRI/z01dYVhX3UI/s1600/40kImperialGuardCommissar-1.jpg

[Mr.Bookworm]

Don't we have a lot riding on Pi by this point? Like, if its wrong, what does that imply about past geometric achievements?

Pi isn't "wrong". Tau is equal to 2(pi). You can thus use tau in place of pi in equations, substituting the radius for the diameter, which proponents of tau argue is more natural.

It's a simplicity thing, not a matter of basic mathematics being wrong.


::V:

[Bells]

Well in the video, the guy makes the case that Pi is a terrible tool to use in teaching of math and that Tau is much more usable and accurate

then again, that video REALLY sucks... it's super slow, a bit awkward and badly paced so i wouldn't hold against anybody for not watching it's whole damn hour...

[Mr.Bookworm]

Allow me to explain tau to you.

This involves incredibly complex math, so don't feel bad if you can't follow it.

(pi)=circumference/diameter, or (pi)=c/d. This a constant ratio in circles (only valid in Euclidean geometry, 3d spaces need not apply). Circumference is just a fancy word for the perimeter of the circle and diameter is just a fancy word for a magical straight line that crosses through the exact center of the circle from side-to-side.

Now watch the magic trick

multiply pi by two, which is called tau

divide the diameter by two, which gives you the radius, or r

this gives you the formula (tau)=c/r

[(tau)=c/r]=[(pi)=c/d]

oh snap

[Flarecobra]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWvVF9ptZOs/T6t1InIWQsI/AAAAAAAABRI/z01dYVhX3UI/s1600/40kImperialGuardCommissar-1.jpg

I think I'll stick with my Sisters here. Especally if they bring their damn Kroot.

[Krylo]

Allow me to explain tau to you.

This involves incredibly complex math, so don't feel bad if you can't follow it.

(pi)=circumference/diameter, or (pi)=c/d. This a constant ratio in circles (only valid in Euclidean geometry, 3d spaces need not apply). Circumference is just a fancy word for the perimeter of the circle and diameter is just a fancy word for a magical straight line that crosses through the exact center of the circle from side-to-side.

Now watch the magic trick

multiply pi by two, which is called tau

divide the diameter by two, which gives you the radius, or r

this gives you the formula (tau)=c/r

[(tau)=c/r]=[(pi)=c/d]

oh snap

Which basically means that video guy's an idiot, 'cause when you're dealing with circles it's generally easier to get the diameter than the radius, because you just do a straight measurement straight across through the middle. And if you're doing it already knowing the radius or the diameter, it's just the exact same math with a different number popped in.

[Amake]

A different number that's also more difficult to use in any application I'm aware of. Like if you want the area of a circle you can just take the radius squared times Pi, why would you want to take the radius squared times open parenthesis Tau divided by two close parenthesis instead?