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Cool math trick: Converting between miles and kilometers
Here's a very cool trick for using math to convert between miles and kilometers.
Tue, Aug 16 2011 at 11:28 PM
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Photo: Try Stan/Flickr
The Fibonacci sequence is made up of numbers that are the sum of the previous two numbers in the sequence, starting with 0 and 1.
It's 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144…
1 is 0+1, 2 is 1+1, 3 is 1+12, 5 is 2+3, and 8 is 3+5. The number after 144 is 233, or 89+144.
The Fibonacci number describes the golden spiral, an ideal form much beloved by designers everywhere. Interestingly, it also neatly matches the relationship between kilometers and miles. Three miles is five kilometers, five miles is eight kilometers, eight miles is 13 kilometers. It's not perfect, eight miles is actually 12.875 kilometers, but it's close enough in a pinch.
If you need to convert a number that's not on the Fibonacci sequence, you can just break out the Fibonacci numbers, convert, and add the answers. For instance, 100 can be broken down into 89 + 8 + 3, all Fibonacci numbers. The next numbers are 144, 13, and 5, which add up to 162. 100 miles is actually equal to 160.934. Again, close enough.
Math is cool.
Edit: I made a typo on 1+1=3. Thanks to reader Erlinda for catching it.
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40 degrees Fahrenheit is 4 degrees Celsius
The eases way and precise.
C= (F-32)/1.8
F=(C*1.8) +32
The eases way and precise.
C= (F-32)/1.8
F=(C*1.8) +32
To convert C to F just double it and add 30 - you'll be within a degree or two of true F but who cares.
actual you can be out by as much as 6 degrees. Don't be lazy, do the math.
awww, that's easy.
C->F is +3 F->C is -3
works for most letters of the alphabet. gets a little dicey around the ends until you realize you can just wrap around from Z to A again.
Why bother? It is just like leaning a language. Just learn to do it in your head without any math tricks.
really cool number trick (i like number tricks). however, not very practical. also, not explained very clearly. took me a minute to figure out what you were supposed to add to what. maybe that's just me though. still a cool trick. thanks.
To convert kilometer to miles you could just multiply k x .6 and add 1 for every 50k, e.g. 100k x .6 = 60 + 2 = 62m. Actual results 62.14.
Stupid. Why wouldn't you just multiply by 1.6?
Wouldn't 3 be 1+2? Your example says 1+1. Math scares me.
it says 3 is 1+2
Yup, 1+2=3. I typoed, thanks for catching it. :)
Thanks, I never knew. This is really helpful! Fibonacci rocks lol.
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