on 2003-07-15 07.16, Bill Potts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Pat Naughtin wrote: >> As a matter of interest, an angle of 1 milliquad would subtend a >> distance of 785 millimetres at a distance of 1 kilometre. > > Not to be too picky, but shouldn't that be expressed as "an arc of 785 mm, > with radius of 1 km, will subtend an angle of 1 milliquad?"
You are right, Bill. According the my 'Shorter Oxford English Dictionary � On Historical Principles', the word subtend has been used in the past to describe a line opposite an angle. I used it in the sense of an angle opposite a side, Tch tch! However, I think that the nit-picking prize on this one must go to Joe Reid who pointed out that I got the calculation wrong as well! Cheers, Pat Naughtin --
