h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

are only domes built on triangulations?what were the pyramids designer thinking when applying triangles to centuries old egyptian structures?

Ah, FT (Can I call you FT? Everyone calls me FT.)

Perhaps I can help you with your question about what the pyramids designers were thinking. Check out my entry ....

How Pyramids Got Their Shape - Revealed - A9207399
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A9207399

Enjoy!

Nice entry on a subject that I enjoy!

(Trig is where i left off in my community college studies for a math-sci Associates. I didn't graduate, too many electives that I felt were relative. It was a stroke of luck that I took Trigonometry, Ceramics, Chemestry, and Geology in the same semester. Trig examines the angles, Chem shows how those angles are aparrent in compound structure, Geology deals with the physical nature of these bonds, and Ceramics is an excercize in application. Ceramics = sand, sand = silica, silica = SiO4, SiO4 = tetrahedron.)

But if I may quickly (too late) address pyrimids and triangles, one should note the footprint of a pyramid on the qround. It is square. A tetrahedron is a triangle sided (exclusively) geometric figure, and quite different than a pyrimid, which has one square side.

Given this I think the pyrimid builders had a good grasp on right angles, but less of modern Trig. It is pointed out that the dimensions of the Giza pyrimids seems to display an understanding of Pi, and therefore a hint that their maths were quite advanced. It is more likely that they took advantage of a wheel to measure large distances, and thus Pi is a factor in their equations.

But I'm sure the mentioned entry on pyrimids goes into this.

Again, good job on a complex topic.

Hi there Neon!

The entry I pointed to does, indeed, mention the square base. As for the rest, you'd be surprised; very surprised.

Funny though, there's no mention of the alien space cranes that they needed to place the original pinnicle. Perhaps an oversight, but shouldn't we alert the PM? Could be a big bonus for us, sharper chisels, bigger hammers...

Oh, the aliens wanted too much. As I understand it, they hired the Dolphins. Dolphins work for fish, you know.

There's no evidence that the Pyramid builders understood about Pi.

In a tv show about the pyrimids at Giza I recall hearing about a theory that basically said, based on some of the dimensions used in the pyramids, that builders were incorperating pi into the construction. The contradiction was that the builders were more likely using a measuring wheel to measure longer distances.

I wish I could explain the maths involved, but I don't really know.

I guess part of the thinking for this theory was inspired by how the builders seem to be representing the stars, milky way, and constellations with their buildings, so maybe they were also trying to display a mathimatical understanding in the pyrimids.

Well, those people making the TV program were wrong. The value Pi was not used in building the pyramids. It's a myth invented by people in the 19th century. They made up a value for the original height of the pyramid (which we don't know) in order to make its ratio to the some fraction of the base equal to Pi.

Thanks Gnomon, I stand corrected.
(i shoulda been more clear that I discounted the Egyptian Pi theory as well; see wheel tool {still used today, it's a wheel on a stick and you count the turns}.
No offence G, I'm sure you know what i'm talking about.
It was a program that has the 'very excited man from egypt who speaks english and wears a hat'. The dude is pretty prolific when it comes to egyptology!!)

The construction of the Great Pyramid was one of the most remarkable feats of mankind. We still haven't done anything to match it 5,000 years later. I see no reason to invent all sorts of extra stuff to make them even more amazing.

Have you seen my entry on the Great Pyramid? A623611

Yes, I just went there. Very good detail, except nothing about the real reasoning behind the astrinomical connection?

and the sphynx?

I'll continue this thought onto yer post, since i think we started off on triangles here!

There's very little astronomical connection in the pyramids.

Maybe we're not refering to the same pyrimids?

I didn't mean the ones in S. America.

I didn't mean the ones in South America either. In fact, I don't think there are any pyramids in South America.

I meant the Pyramids in Giza. They're aligned so that the sides point true north/south and true east/west, but that's not anything to do with the stars, it is to do with the Earth. There are various claims about which way the "ventilation shafts" point and what stars would be lined up with these shafts, but they don't seem to be of any special significance to me.

Of course there are Pyramids outside of Egypt. Incans and Mayans constructed pyramids, for example.

If the Egyptians did not understand Pi, why did they name them Pie-ramids??

Seriously, I remember specials where the subject was discussed. The fact that measuring wheels may have been used to mark off distances meant that some relationships were going to coincide with Pi type formulae. The decision was that this apparent correlation was coincidental, and connected to the device and not the divining.

The Mayans certainly built pyramids, and so did the Aztecs. But I don't think there are any in South America.

Perhaps I should add something on the Incans drawing their plans in ink and the Mayans on working on theirs in May? But then I'd have to explain about the Aztecs!? Maybe they just sat down and let the slaves do it all?

The pyramids of the Aztec, Maya, or whichever South American people they should be credited to are what I was referring to.

I hope I wasn't misunderstood to mean southern US, but rather the continent S. America. Unless I am mistaken, these pyramids are located in S.A., though are usually of a less refined design.

You are mistaken. These pyramids are in the continent of North America. They are in the part of North America known as Central America.