posted on Jul, 12 2009 @ 07:57 AM
My trigonometry is a bit rusty, but I think I've got this right.
Materials:
- 2 people
- 2 tape measures
- protractor
- a couple of flashlights
- long, thin stakes (2cm square) with a nail in the end.
- snowshoes. 2 pair.
1) Enter the field via tractor tracks.
2) Put stake in ground. tie twine to rope. atttatch measuring tape to stake. push in another stake about a metre out on the left side of the line, and
another one another metre out on the right. this will act as a guide to keep the line sighted on the correct angle. Put on snowshoes. Walk 50
feet/metres/cubits. Stop. That's a 50' straight line.
3) Tie second string to post. measure 57deg using protractor. Use sighting stakes as above.
4) Walk 35'
That gives you two lines in the wheat. With the snowshoes, they'll be good and crisp. Take the crampons off, though.
You've now got two people standing 42.6' apart in a wheat field.
If we were to imagine a line connecting them, we'd have the following triangle:
50'x35'x42.6', with angles of 57deg, 79.5deg, and 43.5deg.
We now want an arc.
Let's say the nearest tractor rut is 20' back. A fairly reasonable assumption, but it doesn't really matter where it is. Person B walks back his
path, cuts across the tractor rut, and over to person A's line.
Taking the tape from from person A, he measures out 29.2' of line. this will serve as the radius, where the apotherm of the arc is our 20' to the
tractor line. If it's more or less, we'll calculate that to fit.When he's standing on the tractor rut, and the line is tight, person A simply walks
towards to other end of our triangle. If the line is kept tight, he will form a perfect arc from end to end. The height of the arc will be 9'
You now have three lines, as requested.
Two straight lines in the wheat, with an arc joining them. reel in the lines, pick up the stakes, and walk back out the way you came.