Date:  23 September 1983 16:09 mst
From:  Lippard.Multics (James J. Lippard)
Subject:  Miscellaneous Digest V2 #19
Reply-To:  {mbx >udd>Multics>Lippard>misc>misc}
To:   (Miscellaneous Mailing List)

Miscellaneous Digest                              Volume 2 : Issue 19

Today's topics:
		pi
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Date:  17 August 1983 14:45 mst
From:  Lippard.Multics (James J. Lippard)
Subject:  pi

From Human-Nets:

Date: 15 Aug 1983 1646-PDT
Subject: Interesting new legislation
From: Ian H. Merritt <MERRITT@USC-ISIB>

Los Angeles Times, August 11, 1983

NEW LAWS BLUR DISTINCTION BETWEEN LEGAL AND SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY
  By Lee Dembart, Times Science Writer

   On July 18, 1983, the Indiana legislature voted unanimously to
change the accepted value of PI to 3.
   PI is a mathematical term representing the ratio of the
circumference of a circle to its diameter.  Until this legislation
takes effect in January of 1984, the previously accepted value
(PI=3.1415926+) will still be in effect.
   After this time, new circles in the state of Indiana will have only
343.77468 degrees, however a grandfather clause permits pre-existing
circles to remain unmodified, and continue to have 360 degrees.
   When asked about the purpose of this law, legislative officials
indicated that it is intended to simplify figuring out the size of
wheels by average people, and shift the burden of more complicated
calculation to the mathematicians. "Who cares whether it's easy to
figure in degrees or not.  Mathematicians can deal with complex
fractions better than I can.  Let them handle the weird numbers of
degrees, and I'll take simple size measurement."
   In response to this new law, scientists at the University of
Indiana have mounted a relatively low-key protest, suggesting that if
PI is equal to only 3, purchasers of round goods would be cheated out
of 4.5% of the product.  They made no mention of the convenience of
calculating with 360 vs 343.77468 degrees.
   The president of the National Association of Higher Mathematics
refused to comment, saying only that Indiana represented about 4.5% of
the circumference of the planet, and could be disposed of.

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The preceding was purely satiric (as if you couldn't tell).  The names
and places are purely imaginary, and have no bearing on reality.  Any
similarities to real facts or people are purely coincidental.

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End of Miscellaneous Digest
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