Where there is double slash '/' on layout?

Where the column uses




<?php 

$this->beginContent('//layouts/main');

echo $content;

$this->endContent(); 



why not to use single ‘/’ before layouts?

Cause if I remove it it changes nothing… so I curious about the it role

http://www.yiiframework.com/doc/api/1.1/CController#getLayoutFile-detail

Thanks !