Waitman Gobble shared a comment of this post/conversation

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:47:06 -0400 from mastodon

Stay in school kids.

#math

Sign attached to a chain link fence. It says: Sportsplex Track 1 Lap = 1/3 Mile 3 Laps = 1.2 Miles

التنينوكس

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:45:11 -0400 from mastodon

@Aaron Toponce ⚛️:debian: you're don't get it. Therea a sale. Buy three laps get 0.2 miles for free.

Waitman Gobble

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 19:03:33 -0400 from Get Ready To Rumbly

1/3 of a mile is weird distance should be 1/4 mile lol.

Aaron Toponce ⚛️

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 19:06:31 -0400 from mastodon

@The New You 3 laps would then be 3/4 of a mile, rather than 1.2 miles.

If 3 laps is indeed 1.2 miles, then 1 lap is 2/5 of a mile rather than 1/3.

But it appears the truth is somewhere in the middle. Oen lap slightly longer than 1/3 mile, and 3 laps is slightly less than 1.2 miles.

https://fosstodon.org/@atoponce/111784057770893192

Uncle Iroh ☑️

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:20:14 -0400 from mastodon

@Aaron Toponce ⚛️:debian: @The New You

They used a rule of thumb for the lap, hence using a fraction value instead of a decimal value.

The 3 laps value is likely an accurately measured decimal value since they didn't go with a rounded natural number.

Both meaures are useful and so everyone keeps them while also accepting the contradiction.

Waitman Gobble

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:44:01 -0400 last edited: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:52:17 -0400 from Get Ready To Rumbly

Standard tracks are 400 meters which is about a 1/4 mile. I don't know who would make a 530 something meter track, maybe they are in the back woods lol.

I think tracks in the USA used to be 440 yards, they used to run a '440' race but nobody does that anymore.