If I can get enough people to believe that the square root of 2 is rational, I'm made.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

Of course, I have to keep mum about that "proof by infinite regression" thing. And train the straight face to declare loudly the rationality of sqrt(2).

I'll have to craft very damning insults for people whose speech risk steering people towards the "irrationality proof". (Heh, I'm getting good at this. I automatically say "irrationality proof" with a disgusted smirk of derision.) Perverts? Anti-Americans? Anarchists? Nihilists? Terrorists? I have to decide carefully, research which is more effective. Perhaps a combination, depending on the situation.

Math teachers are target #1. Hey, it worked for "liberal", why not for "math teacher"?

[HopeHoops]

1. Actually, PI was originally a rational number: 3

It was really a pretty damn good estimate and worked for basic calculations.

[Xipe Totec]

3. Pi is rational, if space is sufficiently warped. nt

[dsc]

6. actually as a math teacher I have wondered how we escaped the

Bible vs reality arguments in regards to pi. The Bible clearly states pi is 3 and we teach it is something else entirely. A certain temple had a stone that was seven cubits in diameter and 21 in circumference. Even 22/7 would give you 22 for the circumference.

[HopeHoops]

7. I still measure things in cubits - and other body part measurements.

It is really quite handy when you are looking for something of a specific length.

No, I don't use THAT body part for measurements in stores! I know someone would ask if I didn't state that.

[ThomThom]

8. also How can you say the circumference equals something

if you multiplied by PI, since we don't know what pi equals or we round off? It must be an approximation, mustn't it? I guess it is close enough if you are drilling oil wells and such and it doesn't matter how much oil leaks out around the plug. Just kiding, do I need a smiley face?

[johnaries]

10. Wasn't a cubit basically forearm length? So,

you have a person with a long cubit measuring the circumference and a person with a short cubit measuring the diameter - voila! 21/7

[BadgerKid]

2. If that doesn't work

try obfuscating the value of pi. Just claim pi=3.2 is within experimental error. :evilgrin:

[provis99]

4. personally, the square root of zero is my favorite number. n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. Why the bigotry against decimals?

"Irrationality" is simply integer-centric bigotry. From now on, we shall call it "divisibility challenged". Every number deserves the right to be considered rational.

:sarcasm:

[The Straight Story]

9. Calling a number "Irrational" is now not politically correct, they were created that way. New term

Non-Rational-Conforming digits.

So stop being a hate filled evil bigot and get on the bandwagon of happiness and joy :)