+154 If you think about it, it's impossible to look upon a //real// circle, sure it's possible to see something that looks incredibly like a circle, for example a shape with 800 sides, but an actual shape where the perimeter is exactly pi times the width is impossible to give physical form to, amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

If you're having a little trouble with this one I'll try and explain what I mean here. Say you have a circle that has a diameter of 5cm, that means the circumference would have to be 5πcm, which, because π is an irrational number, would have to be an irrational number too, which means that the circumference wouldn't be a finite length, which all lines have to be.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It will have a finite and also rational length. We just can't express it using our 10-based number system. A circle will still not be possible because no side can be shorter than one Planck's length.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm not sure how people can vote this down. You're entirely right. Even if done with a computer programme all you have to do is zoom in to see the pixels proving it's not perfect. Unless they voted down because they see it as one of those post that's so obviously right that it's annoying.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

To be honest they probably thought "No, I've seen a circle before n", you know what people on amirite can be like.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I downvoted because I don't think it's an interesting idea.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Electrons perhaps?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Nah, even electrons aren't small enough to be measured to infinity decimal places.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I just mean that presumably they're perfectly spherical. Force is equal in all directions implying spherical makeup of the matter. No particles smaller than it after all to make up straight lines (which are the real illusion)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

This only kind of has to do with what we're taking about but it is incredibly interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MhD2xZVypo

by Anonymous 13 years ago

An interesting idea, however irrational numbers are no more infinite then rational numbers; the only difference is rational numbers have a pattern. With rational numbers, one still has to consider the infinite number of zeroes. Also, by your argument many triangles would be equally impossible to create. For example in a right triangle with opposite and adjacent sides each 1m, the hypoteneuse would have to have a length of root 2m, an irrational number.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Also, by definition, a circle is a set of points and points are 0 dimensional.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

and I thought I was the first person to think of this... shows you that original ideas don't exist either

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well Isn't a circle infinite sides? ugg. my head hurts. You are right of course, but there is so much added to it. It's not possible to have a circle.

by Anonymous 13 years ago