4 ms·

I won't belabor the point any further than this, but the argument really is that it would provide enormous benefit. It's not just a "what would happen?", and it

I won't belabor the point any further than this, but the argument really is that it would provide enormous benefit. It's not just a "what would happen?", and it's not that τ "extracts" meaning from equations. It makes the intrinsic meanings of equations drastically more clear. For instance, what does sin(x) mean? What does Euler's equation mean? They're both eminently simple concepts, but they remain obscured by π. It's exactly like refactoring code: sure, it does the same thing, but now it's more compact, more concise, more clear, more elegant; the parts of the system all fit together better, and people coming onto the project will be able to learn it faster. If you don't care about those things, then you won't refactor your code, or see the point of τ.

scythe 15y ago
>They're both eminently simple concepts, but they remain obscured by π. They are equally obscured by tau, or whatever other arc-length you might choose! The meaning does not depend on the definition of a circle but on the properties of the exponential function: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_formula#Proofs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_formula#Proofs As for sin(x), it is a function based on circles and arc lengths, but specific values of arc length do not enter the definition.
- ianterrell 15y ago
  > The meaning does not depend on the definition of a circle but on the properties of the exponential function Actually, you can go backwards and say that its circular properties define the exponential function. Euler's formula describes the rotation of the unit vector through the imaginary plane. > As for sin(x)...specific values of arc length do not enter the definition It's not about the definition, it's about the meaning. Sin(x) is the height of the circle at x radians. And it's super awesome with tau: one tau is full circle, and one period.
  - scythe 15y ago
    >And it's super awesome with tau: one tau is full circle, and one period. Well, if you've already made the jump to understanding negative heights as going below the real line. This is a topic for an introductory course in geometry? When I learned about sine and cosine, it was first defined in terms of SOHCAHTOA!

scythe 15y ago

>They're both eminently simple concepts, but they remain obscured by π. They are equally obscured by tau, or whatever other arc-length you might choose! The meaning does not depend on the definition of a circle but on the properties of the exponential function: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_formula#Proofs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_formula#Proofs As for sin(x), it is a function based on circles and arc lengths, but specific values of arc length do not enter the definition.

ianterrell 15y ago
> The meaning does not depend on the definition of a circle but on the properties of the exponential function Actually, you can go backwards and say that its circular properties define the exponential function. Euler's formula describes the rotation of the unit vector through the imaginary plane. > As for sin(x)...specific values of arc length do not enter the definition It's not about the definition, it's about the meaning. Sin(x) is the height of the circle at x radians. And it's super awesome with tau: one tau is full circle, and one period.
- scythe 15y ago
  >And it's super awesome with tau: one tau is full circle, and one period. Well, if you've already made the jump to understanding negative heights as going below the real line. This is a topic for an introductory course in geometry? When I learned about sine and cosine, it was first defined in terms of SOHCAHTOA!