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  1. #1
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    Isn't it the length of a parabola with an amplitude of 6' that you are actually measuring? I seem to remember this question in my high school trig class.
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    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RPMiller View Post
    Isn't it the length of a parabola with an amplitude of 6' that you are actually measuring? I seem to remember this question in my high school trig class.
    Nope, it's circumference.

    Observe in the following diagram where we start with a Circle of only radius 6. Each time we increase the radius by 6 feet, the circumference only oncreases by about 37.7 feet.
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  3. #3
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    I see. I was thinking of it in slightly different terms. The rope and the man stay taut against the planet. Something like this:
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    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    Great find Rob! We are so close...
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  6. #6
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    One I use all the time when calculating scales:
    1 degree of latitude = 69 miles (approx.) = 111 km (approx.)

    Also, re: the metric system. Use the metric system all you want; I'll be sad the day the imperial system dies. Like your crazy uncle, it may not work as well but it sure has character. I like to design measurement systems for my conworld that have just as many irregularities and eccentricities.

    -Rob

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    Administrator Redrobes's Avatar
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    Heres one that doesn't pop up much... a rood.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rood

    B.T.W I use google now to do a lot of measurement math. I guess most of you know but you can "search" for items like "3 miles in meters" and it generates the answers.

    Hah, but it doesn't do roods !!!

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