Todays Puzzle.

[Lrjtcaptain]

A forty foot length of chain, of uniform weight per unit of length, hangs between two buildings, attached at the same height at both ends. The shape of this chain is a catenary. If the distance from the points of suspension to the lowest point of the chain is twenty feet, how far apart are the buildings?


Catenary
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -nar·ies
Etymology: New Latin catenaria, from Latin, feminine of catenarius of a chain, from catena
1 : the curve assumed by a cord of uniform density and cross section that is perfectly flexible but not capable of being stretched and that hangs freely from two fixed points

 

[7B2]

hang on; I'm getting the good old E6B.
...................................
okay, hang on some more, I'll have to dig up the E6B manual.

 

[bigD]

LOL - I began to do some math in my head, but it dawned on me.

The buildings are together.

 

[skyking1976]

I believe BigD has it. Assuming that there is absolutely no curve to the chain at all.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

Yeah, its a simple equation. Today in the tower we had out calculators and had some flightstrips with some really long equations and then it dawned on me too......if there is 40ft of chain, and the buildings are parallel, and the chain hangs down 20ft....then they have to betogether cause the chain goes down 20 ft and up 20ft =40ft of chain.
BigD good catch. Apparently a mathmatician worked that problem, came up with 60ft. Obviously incorrect because the chain isnt even that long but he ended up winning a noble prize so he must have been pretty smart. But its so simple!

 

[petergibbins]

lrjtcaptain-

its kind of hard to concentrate on the problem with that avatar

 

[Gulfstream 200]

That was good.

Now, lets rip that chain down, break it up, and use it to whip PFT'ers, Gulfpuke pilots, dykes, liberals, BBQ haters, and jesus freaks.

 

[DenverDude2002]

LMAO Gulfstream 200

 

[AxisVDP]

lol, I had the same thought process as BigD from the moment I read the definition of a catenary.

 

[Typhoon1244]

...lets rip that chain down, break it up, and use it to whip...dykes...

Well now, hold on a minute. Are we talking about those gig, tough, hirsute bull-dykes? Or are we talking about the kind you see toying with each other in the pages of Penthouse, etc.? Maybe we should keep those...

 

[Gulfstream 200]

those aint dykes my boy...

those are babes.

and we will keep them around as long as possible.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

How far apart are the buildings????

Heck, I'm still trying to understand the definition of catenary.

 

[FN FAL]

Heck, I'm still trying to understand the definition of catenary.

I think it easier to understand if you use it in a sentance...

I was shooting at the neighbor's catenary hit Billy Bob's trailer.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Ha ha ha... "cat and I nearly"...now it all makes sense. Now where's my E6B?