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Re: Strange Maths (was Re: Why not 13 months?)
Whittet (Whittet@shore.net)
22 Jul 1995 01:15:24 GMT
In article <3uodi4$7bi@insosf1.netins.net>, DND@netins.net says...
>
>In article <waterrd.50.00137F44@mins2.msfc.nasa.gov>,
>waterrd@mins2.msfc.nasa.gov says...
>>
>>In article <DByHv3.4pz@uns.bris.ac.uk> ert@gly.bris.ac.uk (Reggie)
>writes:
>>
>>>Mike (mike@label.tlug.org) wrote:
>>
>>>: Even allowing for wide variations in body part sizes, as the number
>of
>>>: instances of use multiply (as with a structure the size of a pyramid)
>the
>>>: mean will come to appear as a "standard". This is the nature of
>statistics.
>>
>>>I agree with your main argument, but your reference to the pyramids
>>>suggests that the eygptians didn't have a standardised measure. This
>>>I find hard to believe. To create a geometric object the size of the
>>>pyramids would end up as a total balls up if each craftsman was using
>>>their own measure.
>>
>> Has anyone mentioned the Japanese study (done by a Japanese
>television
>>station, I think) into why certain ratios can be extracted from the
>dimensions
>>of the pyramids? I saw it on the Discovery channel around a year ago.
>>
>> Based on my [sketchy] memory, if you divide the base of the great
>pyramid
>>by its height, you get pi/2 (or something like that) to 4 decimal
>places. The
>>program then went on to argue a theory to explain this that--
>> i) Made good sense
>> ii) Was plausible using only tools the Egyptians had (specifically,
>wheels)
>> iii) Did not rely on the probability of random ratios of numbers
>happening
>> to be significant
>> iv) Did not require any unexplainable advanced technology (from
>UFO's,
>> Atlanteans, or whatever)
>>
>> Maybe someone else who saw it could provide more detail.
>>
>> R.W.
>
>The theory was that they used a wheel to measure the length of the sides
>of the pyramid. It is more accurate and repeatable than using a length of
>twine, rope, etc. For a pyramid of height 100 units, take a wheel of
>diameter 1 unit and measure off 100 revolutions of the wheel for the
>side. This gives you a length to height ratio of pi.
How do you calculate the size of the wheel to use for the second course?
Steve
>
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