The School of Alexandria
His friends called him "Beta".
Who is Eratosthenes?
a2 + b2 = c2.
What is the Pythagorean theorem?
The ancients thought this foretold evil; a defeat in battle, or the death of a king.
What is an eclipse?
This hand sign subtends about 1 degree.
(Holding up your pinkie)
The town on the Nile with the famous well.
What is Syene?
He compiled a star catalog.
Who is Hipparchus?
The side of a triangle opposite the 90-degree angle.
What is a hypotenuse?
It's not evil; it just means "hidden".
What is "occultation"? (or "occult")
This hand sign subtends about 5 degrees.
(Hold up 3 fingers like a Girl Scout sign)
They only work when your arm is stretched out in front of your line of sight.
What are Handy Sky Measurements?
He used the length of a shadow in Alexandria to estimate Earth's circumference.
Who is Eratosthenes?
He is considered the father of trigonometry.
Who is Hipparchus?
When Earth casts a shadow on the Moon.
What is a lunar eclipse?
This hand sign subtends about 10 degrees.
(Make a fist)
The units for sine, cosine and tangent.
What is nothing? (they are ratios!)
He estimated the diameter of the Moon by observing a total lunar eclipse.
Who is Aristarchus?
For a given angle, the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse.
What is cosine?
When the Moon covers most of the Sun, but not all of it.
What is a partial solar eclipse?
This hand sign subtends about 15 degrees.
(Make a fist but hold up pinkie and index finger)
The time it takes for the moon to travel its own diameter.
What is one hour?
He estimated the distance to the Sun.
Who is Aristarchus?
In a 30-60-90 triangle, the ratio of the hypotenuse to the shorter leg.
What is 2:1?
The darkest portion of Earth's shadow in a lunar eclipse.
What is the umbra?
This hand sign subtends about 25 degrees.
(Make a fist then stretch thumb and pinkie sideways)
An ancient Greek who's hired to measure distances by counting their steps.
What is a bematist?