Happy Tau Day!

Yes, the time has come. The day when we all celebrate the sacred (not) circle constant, τ.

Fun fact: if you Google “Tau Day”, it’s a real thing!

So, τ. The number that is equal to 2π. Why is τ right and π wrong?

Think of a circle with radius 1. Now, before I state anything, the information kinda comes from Vi Hart. Now, think of radians. If you thought the number of radians in a circle was π, it’s not. it’s 2π.

Now let’s think of slices of pie (Okay, now I’m hungry). If you want a slice of pie that’s 1/8 of the entire pie, you can’t say π/8, but you have to say π/4. Why? Because one circle is 2π radians, so 2π/8 = π/4. Confusing?

Let’s do it the other way. Let’s say someone asked you that they wanted π/8 of a pie. How much would you give them? It’s not 1/8. It’s 1/16. It’s really weird, it’s like you get what you didn’t ask for, like you give what the person didn’t ask for.

So what can patch it?

τ. It’s 2π, and let’s try the pie example. The person asks you for τ/8. How much pie would you give them? 1/8. If you want 1/4 of a pie, which is a lot, hoe much do you ask for? τ/4.

Yeah.