"The haversine formula is an equation important in navigation, giving great-circle distances between two points on a sphere from their longitudes and latitudes"Why would I be interested in determining the distance between two points on a sphere? Because if you (or your device) tells me where you are, I can use the haversine formula to tell you how many of certain things are near you and even where they are within a specific distance.
You'll see.
Sounds interesting... and a possible followup on something you've been investigating for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteThe most mind blowing book I've ever picked up is Bowditch's guide to practical navigation.
ReplyDeleteThere a section on Great Circle calculations that makes my mind feeble in an attempt to understand it.
William Bowditch was a near self taught genius as a kid and is responsible for tables and formulas that allowed the US to become a sea power in the early 1800's.
Just had a flashback to when I bought the book, it was from they guy that used to run the used book store across the tracks on the old part of Elm st. That place was like a gold mine but you had to dig through mountains of books to find the treasures.
Hugh, that was a great bookstore!
ReplyDeleteBilly, probably not what you think.