The Historical Note in Problem Set 7.5 on page 362 asks, Why did the Egyptians build the
Question:
The Historical Note in Problem Set 7.5 on page 362 asks, “Why did the Egyptians build the pyramids using a slant height angle of about 44° or 52°?” Write a paper answering this question.
Data from problem set 7.5
The mathematics of the early Egyptians was practical and centered around surveying, construction, and recordkeeping. They used a simple device to aid surveying - a rope with 12 equal divisions marked by knots, as shown in Figure 7.56. When the rope was stretched and staked so that a triangle was formed with sides 3,4 , and 5 , the angle formed by the shorter sides was a right angle. This method was extremely useful in Egypt, where the Nile flooded the rich lands close to the river each year. The lands needed to be resurveyed when the waters subsided. Which of the following ropes would form right triangles?
Rope : 30 knots (sides 5, 12, and 13)
Rope : 9 knots (sides 2, 3, and 4)
Figure 7.56
Step by Step Answer:
The historical note in your problem set is referring to the angles of the sides of Egyptian pyramids with respect to the ground known as the slant hei...View the full answer
