Octagon eight lines of reflective symmetry and rotational symmetry of order 8. A regular octagon is represented by the Schläfli symbol {8}. The internal angle at each vertex of a regular octagon is 135° (formula_1 radians). The central angle is 45° (formula_2 radians). The area of a regular octagon of side length "a" is given by In terms of the circumradius "R", the area is In terms of the apothem "r" (see also inscribed figure), the area is These last two coefficients bracket the value of pi, the area of the unit circle. The area can also be expressed as where
The purpose of a system is what it does The purpose of a system is what it does The purpose of a system is what it does (POSIWID) is a systems thinking heuristic coined by Stafford Beer. Stafford Beer coined the term POSIWID and used it many times in public addresses. In his address to the University of Valladolid, Spain, in October 2001, he said "According to the cybernetician, the purpose of a system is what it does. This is a basic dictum. It stands for bald fact, which makes a better starting point in seeking understanding than the familiar attributions of good intention, prejudices about expectations, moral judgment,