1

00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000

Now the answer we just calculated was very elegant.

2
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We used the nice assumptions that the sun's rays arrive in parallel and the earth
is a sphere.

3
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We made some nice calculations involving the geometry and the trigonometry that we
learned

4
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but at the end of the day, if our answer doesn't stand up to reality, we need to
start over.

5
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Now let's see, how did Eratosthenes do against reality?

6
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Well, his calculated circumference was 46,250 kilometers and we compare that

7
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to the 40,000 kilometers that we currently know is the actual circumference of the
earth.

8
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,000
Clearly he was off, but how much was he off by?

9
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Can you think back to the beginning of the unit and tell me what was Eratosthenes'

10
00:00:44,000 --> 99:59:59,999
percent error in this calculation?