MJ Thomas 2 Wrote:
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> On perhaps a fairly minor point, it is not clear
> (to me, at least) how a horizontal run that
> included a fraction of a palm was usually seen by
> the AEs.
> For example, was it 5 palms 1 digit or 5¼ palms?
>


I think the answer would be 5 ¼ palms and convert everything to fractions.

For example, seked 5 ¼ would be 7 palms rise = 7 * ¼ = 28/4 and 5 1/4 palms run would be 20/4 + ¼ = 21/4 therefor it would be 28/4 divided by 21/4 = 28/21 = 1 + 1/3 or 5 ¼ divided by 7 = 21/28 = ¾ = ½ + ¼

I don’t see that 5 palms 1 digit would have any meaning to an AE mathematician so they would have to convert everything to digits. Unless the seked was already in whole palms like seked 5 = 7 palms rise by 5 palms run then it would simply be 7/5 = 1 + 2/5 = 1 + 1/3 + 1/15 palms. Would you agree?

Note, I’m very far from any kind of an expert on AE math so I could be all wrong on this, maybe it’s just more of how I look at it.

But if I understand this correctly then for the GP base of 440 cubits and seked 5 ½ that equals 7 divided by 5 ½ = 14 / 11 = 1 + ¼ + 1/44

440 / 2 = 220 cubits

220 / 1 = 220 cubits
220 / 4 = 55 cubits
220 / 44 = 5 cubits

and 220 + 55 + 5 = 280 cubits for the height of the GP

Or for a GP height of 280 and seked 5 ½ then 5 ½ divided by 7 = 11/14 = ½ + ¼ + 1/28.

280 / 2 = 140 cubits
280 / 4 = 70 cubits
280 / 28 = 10 cubits

140 + 70 + 10 = 220 cubits for the run.

Regards
RLH