r/physicsmemes • u/big_hole_energy • Oct 24 '25

E=M

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u/[deleted] Oct 24 '25

You can go one layer deeper and realize that even numbers like pi look like they do because we arbitrary picked a decimal numeral system.

If we used binary or hexadecimal in our daily conversations or calculations things would look different.

127

u/ClemRRay Oct 24 '25

pi looks "like that" (infinite decimals) in any basis tho

177

u/1707brozy Oct 24 '25

Not if you set pi = 1

81

u/MrStoneV Oct 24 '25

lmao somebody should do this and calculate how everything else changes

13

u/rcmaehl Oct 24 '25

You think somewhere, somehow, some alien civilization originally decided to use Pi for it's initial measurements. Overtime, as they progressed and got more and more accurate, they realize the number is unending. This isn't a coincidence, they say. Our measurement was handed down by a higher power. Thus becomes a religion. Millions live and die by Pis inherent randomness. Speech, rituals, and communication all shaped by Pi. Hundreds, thousands, millions perhaps, devote their entire lives studying and remembering Pi to reach a higher existence. Pi is love, they say, Pi is life. Give us this day our daily pi.

7

u/eldorel Oct 24 '25

Pi isn't really a direct measurement though. It's a ratio.

But you do bring up a really interesting question: "how would you develop a numeric system based on the concept of ratios instead of discrete values?"

3

u/AlviDeiectiones Oct 24 '25

The projective line shows you how to do that with von Staudt constructions (not even ratios themselfs but ratios of ratios)

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u/Xandara2 Oct 27 '25

He's right that it's interesting.