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RED-DOG
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« on: May 22, 2012, 03:44:42 PM » |
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Imagine three random locations, say Northampton, Daventry and Rugby.
How do I find the point that is equidistant from all three by road?
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The older I get, the better I was.
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doubleup
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« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 03:51:41 PM » |
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Don't think there is any way other than guessing and then using eg directions from google maps to check. Is the precise information worth any more than a guess?
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AndrewT
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« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2012, 03:56:15 PM » |
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If it's by road, then there probably isn't a place which is equidistant from the three.
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2012, 04:00:14 PM » |
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Don't think there is any way other than guessing and then using eg directions from google maps to check. Is the precise information worth any more than a guess?
Yes. Otherwise I'll be using the same method for cycling that I use for playing poker  I just thought there might be a formula / programme for working it out. |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2012, 04:01:57 PM » |
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If it's by road, then there probably isn't a place which is equidistant from the three.
Well as near as possible. |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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bobAlike
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« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2012, 04:16:00 PM » |
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Not that I'm a mathematician but surely if you connect the 3 locations and form a triangle (scalene, probably) there should a way of working out a central location close enough. BTW I havent a clue on the formula.
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Ah! The element of surprise
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2012, 04:22:49 PM » |
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Not that I'm a mathematician but surely if you connect the 3 locations and form a triangle (scalene, probably) there should a way of working out a central location close enough. BTW I havent a clue on the formula.
If I could fix the end of a tape measure to each start point and then roam around until I had the same reading on each.... |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2012, 04:28:41 PM » |
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Not that I'm a mathematician but surely if you connect the 3 locations and form a triangle (scalene, probably) there should a way of working out a central location close enough. BTW I havent a clue on the formula.
If I could fix the end of a tape measure to each start point and then roam around until I had the same reading on each.... Nope. Thinking about it that would only work as the crow flies. |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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gatso
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« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2012, 04:35:31 PM » |
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if you just want it as the crow flies you find the circle that passes through all 3 points and your centre point is the centre of that circle. because of the shape of your northampton, daventry, rugby triangle it'll be outside of the triangle, just east of west haddon by the looks of it. can't imagine the location's going to be much different doing it by road
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If you get to the yeasty clunge you've gone too far
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2012, 04:44:27 PM » |
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if you just want it as the crow flies you find the circle that passes through all 3 points and your centre point is the centre of that circle. because of the shape of your northampton, daventry, rugby triangle it'll be outside of the triangle, just east of west haddon by the looks of it. can't imagine the location's going to be much different doing it by road
So I need to somehow find exactly the right size circle and superimpose it over the locations? |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2012, 04:49:04 PM » |
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Interesting.
The point can be further away than halfway between any of the places..
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The older I get, the better I was.
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gatso
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« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2012, 04:56:45 PM » |
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if you just want it as the crow flies you find the circle that passes through all 3 points and your centre point is the centre of that circle. because of the shape of your northampton, daventry, rugby triangle it'll be outside of the triangle, just east of west haddon by the looks of it. can't imagine the location's going to be much different doing it by road
So I need to somehow find exactly the right size circle and superimpose it over the locations? yep, that's pretty much it there are ways of working it out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcentre#Circumscribed_circles_of_triangles but trial and error will probably be quicker than an A-level maths course |
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If you get to the yeasty clunge you've gone too far
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DMorgan
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« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2012, 07:08:30 PM » |
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Square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the remaining sides
EZ game
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RED-DOG
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« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2012, 07:10:38 PM » |
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Square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the remaining sides
EZ game
Are you the very model of a modern Major General? |
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The older I get, the better I was.
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DMorgan
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« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2012, 07:11:32 PM » |
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Out of curiosity Tom, whats the problem you're trying to solve by finding this out?
Can only think of trying to find a good location for a warehouse from three suppliers?
#detective
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