A traveller starts out from the Earth's equator, heading exactly northeast. Undeterred by mountains, oceans and political boundaries, he continues on a northeasterly heading until he can go no further.

Where does he end up?

How far did he go?

How many times did he circumnavigate the earth? (For these purposes, this means travel through 360 degrees of longitude.)

(In reply to re: Doesn't matter. by friedlinguini)

I'd have to agree with friedlinguini here. This is very similar to the "String around the Cylinder" problem, except we have a sphere instead.

Google search reveals the circumference from pole to pole is 24,859.82 miles or 40,008 km. "Unwrapping" the earth, the traveller is following the hypoteneuse of a 1-1-√2 right triangle with a height of 10,002 km. Thus he travelled 10,002*√2 km.

Posted by Happy on 2002-09-26 05:36:49