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KnottedYet
03-14-2011, 06:04 PM
Hexagons and base 12 mathematics and "the new pi" a.k.a. "tau". (Terry Pratchett fans take note)

http://www.hexnet.org/

A glorious romp through new worlds!
What it does to trigonometry is just spine-tingling and will make your toes curl with ecstasy!
Trek420
03-14-2011, 06:08 PM
Happy pi day, all :)
HoosierGiant
03-15-2011, 04:56 AM
Hexagons and base 12 mathematics and "the new pi" a.k.a. "tau". (Terry Pratchett fans take note)

http://www.hexnet.org/

A glorious romp through new worlds!
What it does to trigonometry is just spine-tingling and will make your toes curl with ecstasy!

My daughter is a HUGE Terry Pratchett fan. Thanks for posting this!
Catrin
03-15-2011, 05:17 AM
My daughter is a HUGE Terry Pratchett fan. Thanks for posting this!

I love Terry Pratchett - always have :) Thanks for this!
KnottedYet
03-15-2011, 05:26 AM
It isn't a website by Terry Pratchett. (though it is one he would have liked, I'm sure)

It's a mathematics website.

In one of Pratchett's books (quick, which one?) he talks about "new pi." (for extra credit, what is the value of the "new pi" that Bloody Stupid Johnson came up with? Hint: it's not "tau")
Catrin
03-15-2011, 05:49 AM
It is a great website, and talks about math in a very creative way - at least to ME it does :)
OakLeaf
03-15-2011, 09:25 AM
It isn't a website by Terry Pratchett. (though it is one he would have liked, I'm sure)

Wait, did he pass away ... or degenerate to the point where he wouldn't be able to appreciate the website? :( :( I thought he was still writing some...
KnottedYet
03-15-2011, 04:51 PM
He's got the bad version of Alzheimer's.

When my son and I saw him a few years ago, it was pretty clear he was having some trouble. (though he did spend a good 2 or 3 minutes taking to S'Knot about video games, and congratulated S'Knot on finding his picture in "Where's my cow?" which he signed.)

Based on that, and how his writing has changed, AND the fact that I don't know Pratchett himself; I just can't make judgements on whether or not he can comprehend and enjoy a snarky playful mathematics website *now*, but I would be willing to cross my heart that it's the sort of thing he *would* enjoy.
Trek420
03-15-2011, 05:38 PM
He's got the bad version of Alzheimer's.

There's a good version? :confused: :(
KnottedYet
03-15-2011, 07:15 PM
No, there isn't a good version.

There's the early onset rapidly progressing one (which Pratchett has) and there's the late onset slowly progressing one (which my great uncle had).
MomOnBike
03-16-2011, 10:25 AM
Does that make it two Pi Days a year? Oh my, I don't think my kitchen can stand the mess.

(Younger Daughter & I made a meat pie and a lemon/lime/ginger pie for the occasion - then made DH and Boyfriend clean up after us.)
Melalvai
03-17-2011, 02:47 AM
My aunt gave my cousin a Pi Plate one year. It's a pie plate with pi inscribed in decimal around the circumference. And the pi symbol in the middle.
blackhillsbiker
03-18-2011, 04:48 PM
Pratchett is one of my favorite authors. I read "I Shall Wear Midnight" with a lump in my throat. It's not likely we'll have many more books from Sir Terry.

Deb