When is a Square not a Square? 2

[hjgoldstein]

I throw this out to the MAI collective for enlightenment.

A spokesperson for the RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) Scotland is quoted on the BBC News Website as saying:

In less than 10 years we've seen the cost of a square acre of farmland grow to such an extent that...

Now I was always under the impression that an acre was a measurement of area and cannot, therefore, be squared in this sense.

It is worrying that a professional in the field (pun intended) of land and land measurement should make such a glaring error. Unless the BBC mis-quoted of course.

Aspiring to mediocrity since 1957

 

[philhege]

So, to the math!

Given that you can't water a square area with a circular irrigation system, how much acreage contains the parched crop?



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With business clients like mine, you'd be better off herding cats.

 

[KornGeek]

As an estimate, I would say 640 * Pi * (the radius of the watering arm in miles)^2.

 

[SantaMufasa]

If you want to see the effects of "Central Pivot", click on this link of satellite map of Rexburg/Idaho Falls, Idaho. According to the satellite view, farmers don't mind losing the "corners" of the acreage in return for the amazing cost reductions that "Central Pivot" represents.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
“People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.