Just curious.
2006-11-01 17:18:16 · 7 answers · asked by irf d 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Well, yeah, GPS is one way. I understand trig, it's just... what variables, etc. should I use? My question is kind of like, what's the minimum amount of information you need to determine this?
2006-11-01 17:39:16 · update #1
Laser range finder. Although you could use plum bob, trigonometry, altitude of both peaks and an observation point between them to figure it out. You need to observe the angle you have to look upwards from a point between the two. There is a lovely diagram sitting on my desk that is just a little to complex to ASCII.
2006-11-01 17:36:14 · answer #1 · answered by Acraz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You probably should have asked this in the physics section instead of the geography section.
Something I do when I cut down a tree is get a stick that's like 6in long and stand back from the tree til it looks like its the same size as the tree, then lay the stick side ways with one end of the stick at the base of the tree to determine where the top will hit.
You might be able to apply this some how to the mountains at a distance.
But even if you knew you had a 6in stick that exactly fit between the tops of the mountains from your point of view you'd probably have to know the distance to at least one of them to triangulate it.
2006-11-01 17:30:35 · answer #2 · answered by Sean 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Download Google Earth and check it out from there.
Otherwise you could triangulate using a compass. There is a bit of maths involved. You take two bearings on each of the mountaintops from different points. The points must be a known distance and direction from each other.
Using the two bearings you do the trigonometry and work out how far apart they are.
Google Earth is easier, or you could go and look at a map.
2006-11-01 17:27:05 · answer #3 · answered by P.Gill 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
position of the sun, time and trig. or a compass and trig.
It is fairly convoluted, something about measuring shadows and angles... however I don't really remember. It was a problem in my trig book in math and that was over 20 years ago.
2006-11-01 17:31:14 · answer #4 · answered by Dawn J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah Use Google earth.
Tool ==> Ruler
2006-11-01 18:03:30 · answer #5 · answered by safrodin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ruler is a good start
2006-11-01 17:26:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GPS
2006-11-01 17:21:50 · answer #7 · answered by Ralph 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋