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Author Topic: The ultimate answer to the question 42  (Read 5954 times)

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Offline stefcep2

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Re: The ultimate answer to the question 42
« on: June 26, 2009, 03:30:33 PM »
Quote from: motorollin;513438
Why is a circle infinite? It has measurable dimensions and a boundary separating it from whatever surrounds it. It is no different in these respects to a square.


How much area exactly does it occupy?  Or how long exactly is its edge?
 

Offline stefcep2

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Re: The ultimate answer to the question 42
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2009, 01:26:25 AM »
Quote from: motorollin;513475
It is easy to estimate the area or circumference of a circle using simple equations. These can only be estimates since pi is imprecise, but that doesn't mean that a circle has infinite area or circumference.

If I walk around the edge of a circle, have I travelled an infinite distance? Of course not. And if I take a piece of string and wrap it around the edge of a circle, then lay it out straight and measure it, will my measurement reveal that the string is of infinite length? Of course not.


infinite in the sense that it will take an infinitely long number to determine exactly what its length and area is.  perhaps a better term is indeterminate?