Nawh, it goes
back a little further than that. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Babylonian_numerals.html
And if you could imagine trying to build such
structures without a tape measure. You could notch a stick to get a consistent
inch, but long stretches would best be measured with flags or knots on a string.
Very easy to double the string to find the middle, then double it again to get a
fourth. Somewhat more difficult to get tenths.
--
,|"|"|, Ernest Christley
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----===<{{(oQo)}}>===---- Dyke Delta Builder
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o| d |o http://ernest.isa-geek.org |
Ernest,
Yes a string is a wonderful tool for building.
Can't imagine trying to build without one. It would be really easy to fold it in
halves, quarters etc and put knots at the fold.
I didn't mean to imply that people
haven't been using these techniques for far longer, just that our "English
Standard" was probably adopted with input from the guilds (ship wrights,
cathedral builders, stone masons etc.), much as industry trade groups work in
setting standards today. Just codifying knowledge passed down over the
ages.
I also got a kick out of the mystics getting all
excited about the number pi being inherent in the dimensions of the pyramids.
They imply that this means there was some sort of mystic specialness that only
aliens could understand or some such hog wash. Also the precision of the
dimensions could only be the work of magicians or aliens (according to the
mystics)
Actually making measurements over long distances
with a string is problematic because it stretches, the wind blows it, and it
sags. So the answer is quite simple.....use a measuring wheel!!!. In doing so it
turns out pi will be embedded in all of the dimensions. The dimensions will also
be highly acurate.
So much for Voodoo and hocus pocus....
Monty
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