Math thought of the day

[yesthattom]

Ancient mathematicians were fascinated with circles. That’s why pi is so important. It’s so important it gets its own symbol.

I wonder if the mathematicians were fascinated with squares would sqrt(2) have its own symbol instead.

Comments

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

Well, sqrt() does have its own symbol, and the diagaonlas aren't generally considered to be what makes squares interesting.

[etler.livejournal.com]

They were very interested in it. Hippasus derived a proof of the irrationality of it around 500 BC for instance. The so-called silver ratio involves the square root of 2 (1 + sqrt(2)) and generally uses the symbol δ_s.

[arkham1010.livejournal.com]

The constant is named "π" because it is the first letter of the Greek words περιφέρεια 'periphery'[1] and περίμετρος 'perimeter', i.e. 'circumference'.

π is Unicode character U+03C0 ("Greek small letter pi").

[ted-badger.livejournal.com]

Mmmm.... pie pie pie pie pie

[babbage.livejournal.com]

Don't be ab-surd.

(rimshot)

[lilbjorn.livejournal.com]

would sqrt(2) have its own symbol instead.

Perhaps not, but two squared does.