How to Calculate the Elevation Between Two Points

Though Christopher Columbus is often credited with the discovering the earth is a sphere in 1492, the fact was well known by Greek intellectuals centuries earlier. The first recorded estimation of the earth's shape dates to the 3rd century B.C. and Aristotle's essay "On the Heavens," which states the earth's round shadow across the moon proves that the planet is round. The spherical nature of the earth must be taken into account when calculating the relative elevation of two peaks.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Subtract the elevation of the shorter peak in miles (p1) from the elevation of the taller peak in miles (p2) to get d. p2 - p1 = d

   • 2

     Find the square of d.

   • 3

     Divide d^2 by the diameter of the earth in miles, which is 7,912, to get the elevation between the two peaks in miles.