Why You Can-t Measure the Coastline of Britain
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Date: 2023-12-14
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Comments and reviews: 29
-ramuk1933
Self similarity can refer to multiple things, what you were referring to was statistical self similarity, as only the statistical properties remain the same, which is the most limited form. An infinite Sierpinski triangle would have scale invariance, the most extreme form of self similarity and what people usually think of when hearing that word.
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Self similarity can refer to multiple things, what you were referring to was statistical self similarity, as only the statistical properties remain the same, which is the most limited form. An infinite Sierpinski triangle would have scale invariance, the most extreme form of self similarity and what people usually think of when hearing that word.
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-29scroller
1. Divide coastline into tiny segments, not necessarily equal but something walkable in length (e. g. 1 km)
2. Let volunteers measure each segment with measuring wheel by walking along the coast
3. Add lengths of all the segments together
4. ?
5. PROFIT!
_would take some time but still more reliable than a ruler and a map_
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1. Divide coastline into tiny segments, not necessarily equal but something walkable in length (e. g. 1 km)
2. Let volunteers measure each segment with measuring wheel by walking along the coast
3. Add lengths of all the segments together
4. ?
5. PROFIT!
_would take some time but still more reliable than a ruler and a map_
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-Emc4421
I thought if this very same paradox on my own, not with the borders of coastline, but with lines and perspective in general. I called in the SCOPE PARADOX and even started writing about it recently to submit for review. It is comforting to know that someone had already thought of this and I wasn-t the only one.
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I thought if this very same paradox on my own, not with the borders of coastline, but with lines and perspective in general. I called in the SCOPE PARADOX and even started writing about it recently to submit for review. It is comforting to know that someone had already thought of this and I wasn-t the only one.
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-CanadianBrandon
What if the length of the measuring stick was set to a sliding scale based on the area of land?
Example
(Area (km2) / 1, 000, 000) -. 25) - 200
Alaska Area: 1, 723, 000 km2 -- Measuring stick for Alaska: 229km
Britain Area: 243, 610km2 -- Measuring stick for Britain: 140km
Seems fair
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What if the length of the measuring stick was set to a sliding scale based on the area of land?
Example
(Area (km2) / 1, 000, 000) -. 25) - 200
Alaska Area: 1, 723, 000 km2 -- Measuring stick for Alaska: 229km
Britain Area: 243, 610km2 -- Measuring stick for Britain: 140km
Seems fair
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-craighorgan2354
The thing about trying to find the nothing parts is that once you get close enough to measure the nothing you negate the nothing with the something that you are.
Someone else looking is like, hey, look at that ignoramus over there with the measuring tape trying to measure the nothing.
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The thing about trying to find the nothing parts is that once you get close enough to measure the nothing you negate the nothing with the something that you are.
Someone else looking is like, hey, look at that ignoramus over there with the measuring tape trying to measure the nothing.
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-Emc4421
As a math teacher, I LOVE THIS. This is a very very good video. And similar to Reimann Sums used in integration.
On a philosophical level, it is very very hard to actually define things, isn-t it? And math may not be as cut and dry as the average person seems to think it is. --
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As a math teacher, I LOVE THIS. This is a very very good video. And similar to Reimann Sums used in integration.
On a philosophical level, it is very very hard to actually define things, isn-t it? And math may not be as cut and dry as the average person seems to think it is. --
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-aalever
Why can't you just take high-res satellite imagery, and then use a computer to calulate the length of each country's coastline, following the lines of most prominent coastal contrast? Pretty sure that AI could help get that even more precise.
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Why can't you just take high-res satellite imagery, and then use a computer to calulate the length of each country's coastline, following the lines of most prominent coastal contrast? Pretty sure that AI could help get that even more precise.
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-zhubajie6940
So come up with a standard ruler length then, say 1 km, or 100 m (or whatever you chose) and start at the northernmost point and proceed counter-clockwise. This would provide repeatability and a measurable distance.
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So come up with a standard ruler length then, say 1 km, or 100 m (or whatever you chose) and start at the northernmost point and proceed counter-clockwise. This would provide repeatability and a measurable distance.
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-brycenkraatz5417
Why don-t they just trace the coast at a constant speed and just take how many hours it took, and then take the speed of kilometers or miles they were consistently going and multiply them together
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Why don-t they just trace the coast at a constant speed and just take how many hours it took, and then take the speed of kilometers or miles they were consistently going and multiply them together
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-77madman
I'm earnestly confused my this issue because. why are they adding individual isles to the mainline coast measurement? They aren't attached to the mainland so surely wouldn't be added.
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I'm earnestly confused my this issue because. why are they adding individual isles to the mainline coast measurement? They aren't attached to the mainland so surely wouldn't be added.
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-imblackmagic1209
just get the function defining the coastline and the do a line integral, there, done and dusted. infinitesimaly small segments, that measure the perfect length of a curve
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just get the function defining the coastline and the do a line integral, there, done and dusted. infinitesimaly small segments, that measure the perfect length of a curve
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-GoldenGrego
1: 48 - I learned recently that Finland isn't Scandinavia. It's a Nordic country (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, but isn't Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway)
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1: 48 - I learned recently that Finland isn't Scandinavia. It's a Nordic country (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, but isn't Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway)
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-tea5092
The size of northern and southern countries are out of proportion. You'd think that Greenland (not so green land) neighboring Canada is massive but it's smaller than Libya.
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The size of northern and southern countries are out of proportion. You'd think that Greenland (not so green land) neighboring Canada is massive but it's smaller than Libya.
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reallifelore
It's quite simple. Have a universal standard unit of measure, (feet or metres) and measure the coastline at high tide excluding all islands. Job done. You're welcome.
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It's quite simple. Have a universal standard unit of measure, (feet or metres) and measure the coastline at high tide excluding all islands. Job done. You're welcome.
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-shmoop5221
For once It's nice to hear the creator behind RLL having a good time with a video and not worrying about existential geopolitical drama. The guy deserves a breather.
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For once It's nice to hear the creator behind RLL having a good time with a video and not worrying about existential geopolitical drama. The guy deserves a breather.
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-jensdavidsen4557
To add a layer of complexity to an already complex problem.
The coast line length is not, in reality, a fixed measurement. you've got tides and erosion.
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To add a layer of complexity to an already complex problem.
The coast line length is not, in reality, a fixed measurement. you've got tides and erosion.
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-Cenn_Devel
1: 54: If you're wondering how Sweden has so many islands, it's because Sweden has a lot of rivers, so many that they create islands. Which you can see at 2: 17.
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1: 54: If you're wondering how Sweden has so many islands, it's because Sweden has a lot of rivers, so many that they create islands. Which you can see at 2: 17.
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-user-oi7cx6ck6q
just comes down to calculus too curve line if you take shorter segments you get closer and closer to the real value but for coastlines there's just too many
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just comes down to calculus too curve line if you take shorter segments you get closer and closer to the real value but for coastlines there's just too many
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reallifelore
This is the perfect embodiment of the difference between accuracy and precision. Both are equally accurate, yet the NOAA measurements are much more precise.
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This is the perfect embodiment of the difference between accuracy and precision. Both are equally accurate, yet the NOAA measurements are much more precise.
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-Captainali27121
real life lore says oldest not changed border in history is Portuguese and Spanish border which while the iberian union was the 15 century (ad)
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real life lore says oldest not changed border in history is Portuguese and Spanish border which while the iberian union was the 15 century (ad)
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-copescale9599
That is a silly paradox and if these people are the one's in charge we're in trouble. You don't ignore land mass in favor of a straight ruler.
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That is a silly paradox and if these people are the one's in charge we're in trouble. You don't ignore land mass in favor of a straight ruler.
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-DoctorRetina
Why don't international scientists all just agree to use an eg. 1km ruler. That way every cosst will be measured using a standardised method.
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Why don't international scientists all just agree to use an eg. 1km ruler. That way every cosst will be measured using a standardised method.
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-hey-jq2wi
What if theres a island that perfectly shaped rectangle or circle? Does the paradox still apply? Or why we don't measure using ribbon ruler?
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What if theres a island that perfectly shaped rectangle or circle? Does the paradox still apply? Or why we don't measure using ribbon ruler?
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-johnymustacio
obviousley there has to be a point where making the measurements smaller doesn't change the total, so no, it doesn't become infinite.
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obviousley there has to be a point where making the measurements smaller doesn't change the total, so no, it doesn't become infinite.
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-YEWCHENGYINMoe
Solution: make a Bezier curve to describe the coastline, then do all the estimation of elliptic integral part then your done
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Solution: make a Bezier curve to describe the coastline, then do all the estimation of elliptic integral part then your done
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-andrewlim9345
Learnt how different governments and departments use different measurements for coastlines and territorial boundaries.
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Learnt how different governments and departments use different measurements for coastlines and territorial boundaries.
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-Icebolt854
So why not just get a few of the lads together with one of those wheel measuring things to walk along the coast
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So why not just get a few of the lads together with one of those wheel measuring things to walk along the coast
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-antby11
Just measure the most landside part of the coast possible smoothly around and that gives you a practical number
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Just measure the most landside part of the coast possible smoothly around and that gives you a practical number
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reallifelore
I believe AI can already solve this Island Paradox by brute forcing and looking at each piece of coastline.
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I believe AI can already solve this Island Paradox by brute forcing and looking at each piece of coastline.
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