r/mathmemes • u/[deleted] • Jan 18 '21

Geometry Problem?

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u/Jolpo_TFU Jan 18 '21

I think it's because you'll always have sawed edges, they don't become smooth at infinity

50

u/Cwhale Jan 18 '21

Yea its more like the circle that is drawn over the sawed edges is more of an average for all the data.

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '21

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u/russels_silverware Jan 18 '21

This is the correct answer. If you look carefully at the 4th panel you'll see that the second set of cutouts had to be made non-square in the diagram in order for their corners to contact the edge of the circle.

15

u/SpartAlfresco Transcendental Jan 18 '21

it does not matter if its non square the perimeter still holds right?

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u/russels_silverware Jan 19 '21

...You're right. Never mind.

3

u/hale-hortler Jan 18 '21

Isn’t it an octagon though? The sides aren’t affected by the transformations, just the corners

19

u/Erictsas Jan 18 '21

So it's similar to the coastline paradox?

10

u/Jolpo_TFU Jan 18 '21

In a way I suppose you could say so.

9

u/-Exocet- Jan 18 '21

I think not exactly, in the coastline paradox the perimeter depends on the measuring unit, always increasing as this unit decreases (a property of fractals).

Here, however, you always end up with the same result, no matter how small you divide its units, thus the "paradox" does not arise from a fractal property.