Mathematical Question || Is a Circle a Polygon?

[Jacky]

Main Answer: NO

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[Teneksi]

A circle has infinite sides, but it has sides.
Technically, it is a polygon.

If it has infinite sides, that would mean those sides are infinitely small, which would make them points, not sides.

You find a "side" (rather, a single point on the curve) through angle measurements, not by it actually being a side with a length.

[Pulchritude]

But...

It's spelled "apothem"...

[Teneksi]

Why don't we use apothems when referring to circles?

We use them when referring to polygons.
But not with circles.
Why?

Is it because perhaps the circle is not considered a polygon?

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or realizing that the OP spells it differently, that might not have been making an argument at all.

My browser thinks that apothegm is correct. I think it's one of those color/colour things.


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oh man I just now realized that I just now realized exactly what the op was arguing in the first place

[Gamefandan]

But...

It's spelled "apothem"...

No it isn't.

[JD]

We can only assume that a circle has infinite sides, which is not a safe thing to do. If it has infinite sides, then it still has sides, making it a polygon. If it doesn't have sides (being a perfect circle) then it would not be an actual figure, since there are no sides. A circle has to be a polygon because it has to have sides, and no matter what, the shape will have sides regardless of how many because if it did not have sides, it would not be a shape.
tl;dr if a circle is a shape, it has sides, if it has sides, it is a polygon.

[Gamefandan]

We can only assume that a circle has infinite sides, which is not a safe thing to do. If it has infinite sides, then it still has sides, making it a polygon. If it doesn't have sides (being a perfect circle) then it would not be an actual figure, since there are no sides. A circle has to be a polygon because it has to have sides, and no matter what, the shape will have sides regardless of how many because if it did not have sides, it would not be a shape.
tl;dr if a circle is a shape, it has sides, if it has sides, it is a polygon.

This.

[Wedge]

In order for a shape to be a polygon it must be composed entirely of straight line segments. A circle is not composed of straight line segments, nor does it even have a single straight line segment in it. A circle is not a polygon, no matter how you look at it.

[Fredulus]

^wedge is smart, listen to him

and dont say "lolol it has infinitely small sides", because when a line is infinitely small it is no longer a line, it is a point.

[Menen]

In order for a shape to be a polygon it must be composed entirely of straight line segments. A circle is not composed of straight line segments, nor does it even have a single straight line segment in it. A circle is not a polygon, no matter how you look at it.

/thread

[Killer2]

In order for a shape to be a polygon it must be composed entirely of straight line segments. A circle is not composed of straight line segments, nor does it even have a single straight line segment in it. A circle is not a polygon, no matter how you look at it.

Plus, the fact that it has is own word for the measure of all it's "sides".

[~Eletric~Rocket~]

Poop?

[SkullCandy]

In order for a shape to be a polygon it must be composed entirely of straight line segments. A circle is not composed of straight line segments, nor does it even have a single straight line segment in it. A circle is not a polygon, no matter how you look at it.

This. Learned it in 3rd grade.

[Oasis]

No. A polygon is defined as a many sided shape. A circle is theoretically 1 sided.

[Fredulus]

No. A polygon is defined as a many sided shape. A circle is theoretically 1 sided.

uh, no, it doesn't have sides