Clever people! (I love Math)

Long ago, a railroad surveyor needed to calculate the degree of curve of the railways to know what equipment could negotiate the curves.

He devised a simple device-- a 62 foot long chain. With each end held to the inside of the curved rail, he measured the distance from the center of the chain to the rail. The inches measured equaled the degree of curve.

I love elegant solutions.

WCG+ 16-Nov-2011