Don't take this too seriously,
it was just a thought experiment I entertained
myself with the other day (1/2002) while walking.
Which is more cost efficient?
- If we take efficiency to mean perimeter/area. Then...
- Given a circle of radius r
- Area = [pi] * r**2; Perimeter = 2 * [pi] * r;
- Take a square of side 2 * r
(Thusly, the circle fits neatly into the square,
and they are near the same size.)
- Area = 4 * r**2; Perimeter = 8 * r;
- The efficiency of the square is
- 8 * r / 4 * r**2 = 2 / r;
- The efficiency of the circle is
- 2 * [pi] * r / [pi] * r**2 = 2 / r;
- The difference of these efficiencies is zero
- The two shapes are equally efficient.