All that we have ever said that something is more difficult than squaring the circle. What does it mean? It is impossible. Squaring the circle is therefore not a difficult task, not impossible.
The mathematical problem can be stated as:
“Determining a square having the same area as a circle“
Namely, determine what should be the side of a square that has the same area as a circle of given radius. It's easy to understand that with a basic mathematical.
Considering that a square area is the square of its side (AreaCuadrado = L2) and the circle is the square of its radius by a factor or number Pi, (AreaCírculo = Pi * R2), immediately get the equation is the problem:
From a mathematical point of view the problem is correctly stated, but no exact solution. Apparently, determining a square root problem solved. The solution is clear symbolic, the problem is to obtain an exact number next sought to determine the.
We say that the number Pi has an infinite number of decimal places, 3.14159…. usually rounding the 3.1416 with four significant decimal; this means that to solve the problem we do it really rough, but never find the full solution. Simply we approach more or less depending on the decimal used. It is a problem impossible to solve accurately.
A mathematician would never accept a solution to this problem, while we ensure that an engineer is able to manufacture a square with these conditions.
As explanatory metaphor I leave a little story that humorously shows this difference in thinking between physical, a mathematician and an engineer.
They were a physicist, a mathematician and an engineer at the corner of a room. In the opposite corner was a bike and in the center a character gravely challenged them:
“If you are able to get half way to the bike separates you, For the, you turn to go half way you have left to reach, the volvéis stop, and you repeat this sequence several times until it reached, you can pick it up and llevárosla.”
- The mathematician laughed and left the room. Did not even try.
- He begins to experience physical trying to understand the magnitude of the problem: He went halfway and stopped, calculated the new distance and toured the new midway between him. Soon, after repeating the experiment and carefully note, left.
- Engineer was astonished not. He had opponents so he began to explore his whistling halfway happy. He stood, He walked the new half and so until he was close enough to reach out and say “Wake me”.
Sometimes the best is the enemy of good.
