better-than-pi
Original: better-than-pi on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1: A bearded man in glasses (a professor) lectures.
Professor: Some mathematicians have proposed using 2π, or τ, instead of π, because τ makes many equations more beautiful.
Panel 2 (caption box): I propose a new mathematical constant: MEGA-PI, equivalent to two MILLION pi.
Panel 3:
Professor: But is beauty the only possible standard for mathematics? I think NOT.
Panel 4 (caption box): The symbol for mega-pi is a gigantic π with two gatling guns and tank treads.
Panel 5: The professor draws on a chalkboard a large π symbol mounted with gatling guns and clawed/treaded feet.
Professor: Some will say it is less elegant. They are WRONG. Consider this equation for the volume of a curved pipe. What a jumbled mess.
Panel 6 (caption box): But when we introduce mega-pi... BAM. It looks so awesome.
Panel 7: The chalkboard shows a complicated equation: V = (π²/4)((c-w+r)³ - ((-c+w)³)(c-2w)(€...
Professor draws the armed mega-pi symbol.
Panel 8: Three students in the audience look on.
A student (question caption): Question: Why does mega-pi need a speech bubble?
Panel 9: The professor responds.
Professor: Because it's time to pay the PIPER.
The armed mega-pi symbol on the board has a speech bubble reading: "Time to pay the PIPER!"
Footer: smbc-comics.com
Votey:
The armed mega-pi figure (the gigantic π with gatling-gun arms and clawed legs, drawn loosely) speaks in a wobbly hand-lettered speech bubble:
Mega-pi: Sorry I killed your henchman. Guess I'm... irrational.
Professor: Some mathematicians have proposed using 2π, or τ, instead of π, because τ makes many equations more beautiful.
Panel 2 (caption box): I propose a new mathematical constant: MEGA-PI, equivalent to two MILLION pi.
Panel 3:
Professor: But is beauty the only possible standard for mathematics? I think NOT.
Panel 4 (caption box): The symbol for mega-pi is a gigantic π with two gatling guns and tank treads.
Panel 5: The professor draws on a chalkboard a large π symbol mounted with gatling guns and clawed/treaded feet.
Professor: Some will say it is less elegant. They are WRONG. Consider this equation for the volume of a curved pipe. What a jumbled mess.
Panel 6 (caption box): But when we introduce mega-pi... BAM. It looks so awesome.
Panel 7: The chalkboard shows a complicated equation: V = (π²/4)((c-w+r)³ - ((-c+w)³)(c-2w)(€...
Professor draws the armed mega-pi symbol.
Panel 8: Three students in the audience look on.
A student (question caption): Question: Why does mega-pi need a speech bubble?
Panel 9: The professor responds.
Professor: Because it's time to pay the PIPER.
The armed mega-pi symbol on the board has a speech bubble reading: "Time to pay the PIPER!"
Footer: smbc-comics.com
Votey:
The armed mega-pi figure (the gigantic π with gatling-gun arms and clawed legs, drawn loosely) speaks in a wobbly hand-lettered speech bubble:
Mega-pi: Sorry I killed your henchman. Guess I'm... irrational.
Alt text
A nine-panel SMBC comic. A bearded professor in glasses lectures: some mathematicians propose using tau (2π) instead of pi because it makes equations more beautiful, but he asks whether beauty is the only standard for mathematics — "I think NOT." He proposes a new constant, MEGA-PI, equal to two million pi, whose symbol is a gigantic π armed with two gatling guns and tank treads. He argues a messy equation for the volume of a curved pipe becomes awesome once mega-pi is introduced, drawing the weaponized π on the chalkboard. Three students watch; one asks, "Why does mega-pi need a speech bubble?" The professor answers, "Because it's time to pay the PIPER," and the armed π on the board has a speech bubble saying "Time to pay the PIPER!" Votey: a loosely drawn version of the weaponized mega-pi figure says in a hand-lettered bubble, "Sorry I killed your henchman. Guess I'm... irrational." — an action-movie one-liner punning on irrational numbers like pi.
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.