Solve for X
Today someone in an aviation workplace was either amused or insulted, I'm not sure which, by my excitement that he was genuinely using trigonometry for real things. I'm afraid that he may have thought that my excitement and admiration was over the fact that he knew how use trigonometry at all, but really this is just one cool part of a very cool project he is working on.
What do you think he's up to?
posted by Aviatrix at 00:00
22 Comments:
Building a yurt, of course.
18 January, 2012 02:04
Looks like he's trying to hard to figure out how much pizza to order...... Dude just go with 5 large, give away the leftovers!! Enjoy with a cold beer!
LT
18 January, 2012 03:17
Inclination of solar panels on a roof?
18 January, 2012 04:51
Why is his 0/360 degree mark facing due west?
18 January, 2012 06:05
Good to see it's not just me that needs the "SOHCAHTOA" prompt written out. I learned that 40-odd years ago and hated it at the time, but can't think trig without it in front of me.
18 January, 2012 09:46
«Why is his 0/360 degree mark facing due west?»
Because that's where the Sun is at the equinoxes in the diagram?
I agree with Wayne Farmer, must be something to do with the position of the Sun at different times.
sine - sideways.
cosine - central.
18 January, 2012 10:36
The first thought that popped into my head when I looked at the drawing was "Pizza". But other commenters have already covered that possibility, so I'll go with thoughts #2 and #3.
"SOHCAHTOA" - Reminds me of 9th grade math. That was a very long time ago, back when my eyes were good enough to not mind repeatedly scanning the sin/cos/tan charts in the back of the textbook. Electronic calculators existed at that point in time, but they were too expensive for my budget.
Compass rose - Hmm... maybe someone is creating a new IFR approach off of a VOR? Since DME readings are calculated as the hypotenuse of the right triangle where one side is the distance above the VOR, and the other side is the horizontal distance from the VOR.
«Why is his 0/360 degree mark facing due west?»
Maybe they're in Norway, where magnetic variance is extreme, and the magnetic north pole is to the left?
18 January, 2012 20:47
Are you doing some nosewheel- roulette calculations again? Or maybe trying to fly an arc around a VOR without a DME? Interesting!
19 January, 2012 01:27
bend allowances for working with aluinum?
more likely to be the previously suggested sun position, but i thought i would throw something out there that i never calculate, even though i work with sheet metal a lot.
19 January, 2012 05:44
or balancing a prop... but we have a computer program for that.
19 January, 2012 05:47
I find it interesting that the main divisions of the circle are at 40 degree angles. So the circle is being divided into 9 segments.
Another interesting aspect, is the fact that the segments are rotated 22.5 degrees from 0. Wherever 0 is located in relation to geography. ;)
19 January, 2012 06:21
Could be flight envelope calculations, with the angles being relative directions of wind.
It could also be an approach envelope for a helicopter to a landing site. The angle would indicate the direction of wind, and the distance from the pole is the wind velocity.
It's been over ten years since I worked a flight-deck, so I'm a little rusty.
19 January, 2012 08:42
To whatever degree you have returned to blogging in this space, Welcome Back! You have been missed. The space is yours and how you choose to use it is, of course entirely at the tips of your ten fingers. When/If you write, I will read and enjoy the moment. If I do not comment on every post, please know that they are appreciated none the less. Best wishes and Happy New Year. -Craig. P.S. As concerns outing bloggers, frankly mam,I don't give a damn who you are. I just enjoy reading your periodic posts. Thank you.
19 January, 2012 10:45
The half degree and east west axis might suggest that the diagram is associate with a runway.
The 40 degree segments are calibrated from that 1/2 degree starting point - i.e. the runway.
Perhaps this is a runway obstacle/performace analysis being prepared to establish and IFR departure procedure for a runway with obstacles in various quadrants?... 40 degree segments might be the regulatory requirement ... i.e. must clear the highest obstacle in that segment by 400 feet (or whatever).
Why 40 degrees? We know pilots are allowed up to right/left 10 degree errors due to engine failures etc..., so thats 20. Maybe 20 more are added to provide a buffer to worst case scenario, other instrumentation and measurement errors...
Anyway - that's my guess.
So fun to have some Aviatrix fix today!
19 January, 2012 21:02
I have one more wild guess. Might this have something to do with optics? Perhaps polarizing sunglasses for aviators?
Aviatrix, this is why I enjoy your blog so much. You come up with the most intriguing puzzles!
19 January, 2012 21:09
Math is easy
20 January, 2012 00:26
My maths was learnt before SOHCAHTOA became popular here in the UK. My Mnemonic was "Some People Have Curly Brown Hair Till Painted Black"... (P=perpendicular, B=base).
Is someone trying to design a set of door wedges from a tree trunk?
20 January, 2012 14:20
Probably quilt design. That's where ~I~ usually use trig.
21 January, 2012 07:02
Had to repeat every math up to basic geometry, never took trig, but it seems to be a description of a downward spiral or helix? Or up I guess.
22 January, 2012 03:18
Nosewheel Roulette 2.0!
29 January, 2012 17:05
I haven't forgotten this. Just trying to get a good picture of the yurt to share.
17 February, 2012 19:34
Looks like calcs for a stepper-motor.....
22 February, 2012 21:11
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