Using
only a stopwatch and a sneaker, find an approximate value for sqrt{2}.
Source: M.Levi’s "Why Cats Land on Their Feet" (2012).
From the corner of a room, measure off 10 sneaker-lengths in two perpendicular directions.
Then measure the number of sneaker-lengths between these endpoints. If you're lucky you'll get something close to 14 1/7.
Divide this by 10 to approximate sqrt(2).
You can also use the shoelace to help get a better estimate of the partial sneaker-length. On second thought, using the lace for the whole experiment might be easier than using the sneaker.
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Posted by Jer
on 2021-03-24 11:37:49 |