Can a Perfect Circle be Drawn? The Answer May Surprise You!

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter mprm86
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Circle
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
7 replies · 11K views
mprm86
Messages
52
Reaction score
0
Is it possible to draw a perfect circle. My answer wold be no, because the perimeter of the circle should be a multiple of pi, but pi is transcendent, so it is not posibble. Am i right?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
No.The transcendental character of [itex]\pi[/itex] has nothing to do with the geometry involved in picking a compasses and drawing that circle.

Daniel.
 
I don't believe a 'perfect' circle is possible, but it depends onwhat you mean by perfect.
 
I think he means a perfect physical circle. In that case, the answer is no.
 
Manchot said:
I think he means a perfect physical circle. In that case, the answer is no.

Actually there are limits to 'perfection'..but as 'good as' is achievable in some instances, example..I was told by someone in high mathematical regard, that it was known from ancient times that the Greek Philosophicals regarded 'perfection' as a human unatainable achievement, he referred to someone (I can't recall who?) that was set a task to produce the perfect circle, "physical drawing of". I immeidiatley went to the blackboard, chalk in hand, and proceeded to attempt the immposible.

I approached the blackboard, stood in front, the I turned at an angle of 45 degree's, so My shoulder was touching the blackboard. I then proceeded to use my shoulder as the 'point' of the compass, turning my arm around, I produced..a near as damn it pefect circle! :wink:

Try it and step back from the blackboard and observe your attempt?
 
The simplest mechanical linkage that produces a straight line motion, Peucillier's inversor, relies on circular motion. So the straightest line you can draw is only as perfect as the best circle you can draw, or maybe less so.
 
Spin_Network said:
Actually there are limits to 'perfection'..but as 'good as' is achievable in some instances, example..I was told by someone in high mathematical regard, that it was known from ancient times that the Greek Philosophicals regarded 'perfection' as a human unatainable achievement, he referred to someone (I can't recall who?) that was set a task to produce the perfect circle, "physical drawing of". I immeidiatley went to the blackboard, chalk in hand, and proceeded to attempt the immposible.

I approached the blackboard, stood in front, the I turned at an angle of 45 degree's, so My shoulder was touching the blackboard. I then proceeded to use my shoulder as the 'point' of the compass, turning my arm around, I produced..a near as damn it pefect circle! :wink:

Try it and step back from the blackboard and observe your attempt?
ah, but it is only what you percieve, (<-----is that how you spell it?)
it is not truly "perfect"
which, nowadays is a loosly thrown around term.
 
thread locked
Necropost replying to a banned member, therefore pointless.