One of the more tragic path dependencies is that years ago someone defined π (aka pi) as ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, as opposed to its radius. If you define τ(tau)=2π, it's like a presbyopic putting on reading glasses for the first time. It turns out, switching from π to τ makes a lot of other corollaries less convoluted, including the 'world's most beautiful formula' eiπ=-1, which would be eiτ=1.
Cool!
ReplyDeleteCan we have a mean deviation day?
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00003759.htm
i think it is the more beautiful statement, because e(i*pi)+1 = 0 has 5 key numbers in there, rather than 4.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Buckminster Fuller's more simple and elegant explanations:
ReplyDelete* Using words "up and down" are incorrect..rather things go "in and out" from the center of the sphere (earth.)
* Everything is built up from hydrogen.
* Geometry is triangled, not squared. Ex: 2 triangled = 4 sides (like a tetrahedron).