SOLUTION: Please help me to solve this Find the distance on the surface of the Earth from a point having latitude 38.40°N to the closest point on the equator . Assume that the Earth is

Question 1184189: Please help me to solve this
Find the distance on the surface of the Earth from a point having latitude 38.40°N to the closest point on the equator . Assume that the Earth is a sphere of radius 3960 miles.
Answer by ikleyn(52786)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Please help me to solve this
Find the distance on the surface of the Earth from a point having latitude 38.40°N
to the closest point on the equator . Assume that the Earth is a sphere of radius 3960 miles.
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This problem is to estimate / evaluate the length of the arc of the angular measure of 38.40 degrees of the sphere / (on the sphere)
of the radius of 3960 miles.

It is the same as to evaluate the length of the arc of this angular measure of the great circle through the Earth poles.

So, you take the whole circumference of the great circle    = miles

and multiply it by the factor of      to account for the arc as a part of the great circle.

The final formula is

            the distance on the Earth surface = miles.

Now use your calculator and get the   ANSWER

            the distance on the Earth surface = 2654 miles     (rounded to the closest mile).

Solved.

//////////////

            Notice that I used the angular measure of the arc 38.40°N
            literally as it is presented in your post:   "thirty eight and 40/100 of the degree".

            It is not "thirty eight degrees and 40 minutes", as some other person could expect.

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