111

It works because a nautical mile is based on a degree of latitude, and the Earth (e) is a circle.

https://explainxkcd.com/3023/

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[-] palordrolap@fedia.io 25 points 2 months ago

Obligatory repeat of the fact that the ratio between miles and kilometres is ln(5), correct to less than 0.01% (yes, that's a percent of a percent).

The golden ratio or Fibonacci numbers are used more often for the same trick but they're off by, at best, very slightly worse than 0.5%.

[-] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago

Fibonacci numbers are easier than ln(5) to calculate on the spot tho

[-] palordrolap@fedia.io 1 points 2 months ago

You're not wrong. The ln(5) trick is for when you have a scientific calculator but it doesn't have the conversion built in.

[-] matj1@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago
[-] rockerface@lemm.ee 7 points 2 months ago

Thanks, I hate it

[-] matj1@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Knot is just nautical mile per hour, so it can be simplified so:

π miles = e nautical miles

[-] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

God french fry filching dammit.

this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2024
111 points (99.1% liked)

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