GenesisNemesis

http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=78

Is his math correct?

Just wondering. :Cheeky:

I mostly forgot about that simple math.

spin

Two issues:

1. What would ever make one think that the writer was referring to the "inner" circumference of the vessel, if the writer gives the diameter of the whole vessel as a further indication of the size?
2. Can you imagine a bronze vessel whose thickness was two hand breadths? Got any archaeological evidence for such a vessel?

Your source's explanation is just more post hoc fiddling to justify something or other.

I haven't got a ruler with inches to check a hand width, but I'd guess your person has a fat hand.


spin

Huon

Hovind supposes that the ancient hebrew science was as accurate than the (relatively) modern science. But I have been told by my father that, a century ago, all the wheelwrights knew fairly well that Pi = 3 + "something". When they had to make the iron coating of a wooden cartwheel, they used this rule of thumb. "something" could be a handwidth...

Now, Hovind could also show us that magnificent brass bowl of 10 cubits (4 or 5 meters) diameter... How was it melt down ?? Was it possible at that time to build a kiln, sufficient for this huge bowl ? I doubt much.

hatsoff

Yes, the math is accurate, though meaningless. You don't need to do math to solve the textual inconsistency.

What's with Hovind, anyway? Did they throw him in jail, yet, or is he still out and about pretending science is his bitch?

S.C.Carlson

Hovind's calculations makes a hand width to be about 4.5 inches. The modern standard is 4 inches (at least for measuring horses). Obviously, his analysis begs the question (among many) that his hand width has the correct value.

gregor

Well, to be fair to Kent, one's hands tend to swell when they're in hand-cuffs.

yalla

Verse 24 of I Kings refers to ornamental thingys that were fixed to the bowl.
10 per cubit.
So the bloke who made the bowl and its ornaments would have soon discovered the true value of pi when he made 300 thingys and found himself short with a way to to go before completing the circuit.
If the inner circumference was measured he would have needed 2pi10 times 10 thingys. Not 300. More.
If the outer was measured it would have been even more.
Either way the builder would have discovered pi.
And the Greeks would have been preempted.
But the writer of Kings didn't actually see the bowl so he didnt realize how close the builder was to a major mathematical discovery.
Maybe its fiction.

Sheshbazzar

Just an observation, was it actually "round"?
Measuring at twelve points, equidistant around a perimeter, with a measuring line, will give a diameter of ten (units), with a circumference of (only) thirty (units).