1292: Pi vs. Tau

2013-11-18T12:25:04Z

TDonofrio: Added musical cross-reference

{{comic
| number = 1292
| date = November 17, 2013
| title = Pi vs. Tau
| image = pi vs tau.png
| titletext = Conveniently approximated as e+2, Pau is commonly known as the Devil's Ratio (because in the octal expansion, '666' appears four times in the first 200 digits while no other run of 3+ digits appears more than once.)
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}

This is yet another of Randall's compromise comics. Many mathematicians argue as to whether to use pi, which is the ratio between a circle's diameter and its circumference, or tau, which is the ratio between a circle's radius and its circumference. Randall is suggesting using pau, which is a portmanteau between pi and tau, and is a number situated halfway between pi and tau. This number would be effectively useless, as there are currently no commonly used formulas that involve 1.5 pi or 0.75 tau.

The title text for the comic is also incorrect. The first 200 digits of 'pau' in octal are:
<pre>
4.5545743763144164432362345144750501224254715730156503147633545270030431677126116550546747570313312523403514716576464333172731124310201076447270723624573721640220437652155065544220143116155742515634462
</pre>
The sequence '666' does not occur at all. Both '2362' and '4376' occur twice, while both '362' and '431' occur three times. 39 other 3 digit sequences occur twice.

The "Devil's Ratio" may be a cross-reference to the "Devil's Interval", aka tritone, augmented fourth, or diminished fifth. This note is situated halfway between octaves, and is named for its dissonant quality.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:(π, 'Pi', crossed out) (1.5 π, 'Pau') (2 π, 'Tau', also crossed out)
:A compromise solution to the Pi/Tau dispute
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Math]]

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1292: Pi vs. Tau