Thanks Damon for your help yesterday. I see now there are close similarities between the 2 formulas I sighted yesterday.
I worked my problem with both formulas and received identical answers of 958.27 NM.
This distance is a mile or so more than your answers and I have studied my workings and conclude your answers are more accurate as I have made rounding errors. This has been a very useful exercise for me.
I also looked at Wikipedia and note the formula I really need to get to grips with is the more complicated, more accurate one at the bottom of the page. I will study this in due course.
Thanks again
Mike
Rounding errors are an inevitable problem with navigation calculations due to the fact that you often have to subtract large numbers depending on the specific triangle.
For example you might know something is 1000.1 to five significant figures. Then something else is 1000.2 to five figures.
However if you use the difference anywhere in your calculation, you are down to
1000.2 - 1000.1 = 0.1 or one significant figure in the result.
You're welcome, Mike! I'm glad that the formulas I provided were helpful to you. It's great that you took the time to compare and verify the answers using both formulas. It's also commendable that you recognized your rounding errors and understood why my answers were more accurate.
The accuracy of calculations can often be affected by rounding errors or even small mistakes in the process. So, double-checking your workings and being aware of any potential errors is a good practice to ensure accurate results.
It's also great to hear that you're motivated to learn and understand the more complicated and accurate formula. Wikipedia can be a valuable resource for learning, as it provides in-depth information on various topics. Taking the time to study and understand the formula will definitely enhance your knowledge in that area.
If you ever have more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy learning!