Long Way Around
  • Suppose that the surface of the earth is smooth and spherical and that the distance around the equator is 25,000 miles. A steel band is made to fit tightly around the earth at the equator, then the band is cut and a piece of band 18 feet long is inserted. To the nearest foot, what will be the gap, all the way around, between the band and the earth's surface? (Use 3.14 as an approximate value of Pi)

Answer:    
  Please enter a numerical answer
(ex. 1,000 or 2.033) and click GO.		    

Contest problems and answers provided by:

David Rock
rock_david@colstate.edu
Columbus State University

Doug Brumbaugh
brumbad@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu
University of Central Florida