View Single Post
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
[email protected] spamTHISbrp@yahoo.com is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 561
Default Mathematical mm/inch and triangle oddities

On Dec 31, 12:47 pm, Tim Shoppa wrote:
A couple of things I've noticed over the years:

19mm is really really close to 3/4". It's actually 0.748 inches but
I'm not sure any equipment I work with has the bolt heads cut to
better than two thousandths, at least not until I get down to the
pocke****ches :-).

The ratio of height to base for a equilateral (60 degree for all
angles) triangle is really really close to 13:15. (Of course the real
number is sqrt(3)/2 =~ 0.8660, but that's surprisingly close to 13:15
=~ 0.8666).

Is there any deep numerological signifigance to these, or just random
luck?

It is nice to use a 3/4" socket and 19mm socket nearly
interchangeably. I think the spark plug hex on my lawnmower is
officially 3/4" but don't really know. Many (most?) auto lug nuts are
19mm or 3/4" but I don't know which ones are officially which or what.

The 13:15 ratio for an equilateral triangle comes out really nice for
laying out hexagonal grids in "nice" numbers.

Tim.



11mm is a skosh smaller than 7/16, good for a slightly worn bolt/nut
head.

Another great match is, 15/16 (or 7/8).

Dave