Box diagonal
W. H.
determine the length of the box's major diagonal, specifically, the
length of the longest straight line that would fit within the box. No
mathematical computations are necessary, use only the items previously
mentioned.
Best Regards
Will
Mark Brader
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You can't, because you don't know how thick the material is. (If it's
transparent, you still can't, because you don't know its optical
properties.)
However, you can measure the *outside* major diagonal by simply noting
the position of two opposite corners, moving the box, and placing the
yardstick to connect the two positions.
For best accuracy without using any other tools, I would suggest
starting with one corner of the box at one corner of the table.
(If the table is round, look for some sort of marking on it. If
there isn't one, try damaging it with the yardstick.) Now place the
yardstick along the box's diagonally opposite vertical edge, so you
can mark the position of an upper corner with your fingers. Then
you only have to preserve that position by holding your fingers in
place while rotating the yardstick to the new angle.
Another option is to stand the box on one corner and mark with your
fingers the greatest height above the table that you can place the
opposite corner at. Again, move the box away and then measure.
However, I think this way would be less accurate.
If the diagonal exceeds a yard, the same general methods apply,
but you will now have to mark one or more intermediate positions
in the air as you "slide" the yardstick along the diagonal, with a
corresponding loss of accuracy.
--
Mark Brader "Thus the metric system did not really catch on
Toronto in the States, unless you count the increasing
m...@vex.net popularity of the 9 mm bullet." -- Dave Barry
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Stephen Throop
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Put the box on the floor. Keeping one corner edge against a table leg,
slide the box around to see if the opposite corner of the bottom will
touch a mark on the floor. If not, move the table and try again. Then
hold your thumb on the leg where the upper corner of the box touches it,
remove the box, and measure from that spot to the mark on the floor.
Stephen
ideaquest
W. H. <WHar...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:24088-3CC...@storefull-2314.public.lawson.webtv.net...
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given a box of dimensions a, b, c and box diagonal d,
we get, d^2 = a^2 + (b^2 +c^2)
first measure the diagonal made by b & c, say e
e^2 = b^2 + c^2
make a rectangular using a and e.
box diagonal d^2 = a^2 + e^2 = a^2 + (b^2 +c^2)
the diagonal formed by a and e is the box diagonal.
Kayo Limner
>make a rectangular using a and e.
How? You have a table, a yard stick, and the box.
--
"Kayo Limner" is actually 48932...@GoFor21.com (48932 75601).
0123 456789 <-Use this key to decode my email address and name.
Other messages to this domain will bounce.
David A Karr
>Will Harnett:
>> Sitting on a table is a sealed rectangular box, using a yard stick,
>> determine the length of the box's major diagonal, specifically, the
>> length of the longest straight line that would fit within the box. No
>> mathematical computations are necessary, use only the items previously
>> mentioned.
>
>
>starting with one corner of the box at one corner of the table.
>(If the table is round, look for some sort of marking on it. If
>there isn't one, try damaging it with the yardstick.) Now place the
>yardstick along the box's diagonally opposite vertical edge, so you
>can mark the position of an upper corner with your fingers. Then
>you only have to preserve that position by holding your fingers in
>place while rotating the yardstick to the new angle.
Once you have identified a corner or mark on the table, I'd measure
the diagonal of the box's top face with the yardstick and slide the
box until one (bottom) corner of the box is exactly that distance from the
mark on the table, as measured by the yardstick. Just make sure none
of the box is between the chosen corner and the mark. Now you simply
measure the distance from the corresponding _top_ corner to the mark
using the yardstick.
--
David A. Karr "Groups of guitars are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."
ka...@shore.net --Decca executive Dick Rowe, 1962
ideaquest
Kayo Limner <kayo....@GoFor21.com> wrote in message
news:3cce9d5...@news.atl.bellsouth.net...
> "ideaquest" <idea...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >make a rectangular using a and e.
>
> How? You have a table, a yard stick, and the box.
Set the box facing you with the base on the table.
Use the yard stick to measure the diagonal of one of the side rectangles
(say, the one on the right side).
Do it such that the tip of the yark stick is at the far bottom of the side
rectangle.
Once the diagonal is measured, swing it down towards you in a "45-degree"
like rotation, pivoting on the tip of the yark stick.
(Note: may not be 45-degree, depending on the dimensions of the side
rectangle)
The point will be infront of the box on your right side.
Measure this point to the left, rear corner of the base.
It is probably faster to do it than to describe it.
Surendar Jeyadev
W. H. <WHar...@webtv.net> wrote:
>Sitting on a table is a sealed rectangular box, using a yard stick,
Why is the box using a yard stick? What is it trying to do? Does
it possess intelligence?
>determine the length of the box's major diagonal, specifically, the
>length of the longest straight line that would fit within the box. No
>mathematical computations are necessary, use only the items previously
>mentioned.
>
>Best Regards
>Will
>
--
Surendar Jeyadev jey...@wrc.xerox.bounceback.com
Remove 'bounceback' for email address
ideaquest
Surendar Jeyadev <jey...@wrc.xerox.bounceback.com> wrote in message
news:aakeov$f3h$1...@news.wrc.xerox.com...
> In article <24088-3CC...@storefull-2314.public.lawson.webtv.net>,
> W. H. <WHar...@webtv.net> wrote:
> >Sitting on a table is a sealed rectangular box, using a yard stick,
>
> Why is the box using a yard stick? What is it trying to do? Does
> it possess intelligence?
Legend has it that:
It was Will's will that tabled the table, boxed the box and yard saled the
yard stick.
:o)