Azimuthal Equidistant Map

To GIVE HIS mathematic students, future officers in the Army and Navy, a realistic taste of mathematical map work, Prof. B. H. Brown uses the map at the right. We have asked him for directions for its use and especially requested an explanation in non-mathematical words of one syllable, which Mr. Brown gives as follows:

"Although the accompanying map appears to view the world in a comic mirror, it has one outstanding virtue: It enables the loyal alumnus, no matter where he is stationed, to find his air-line distance to Dartmouth. Hanover, N. H. is the small white spot in the exact center. The distance from Hanover to any point on the earth may be found from the scale of miles, in which each unit is 1,000 miles. (These distances are statute miles; naval alumni divide by 1.152.) If you are in Hanover, this map tells you in what direction you should start in order to reach your destination by the shortest possible path. After you have realized that the elongated black continent in the upper left is Australia, it may seem surprising that Australia is north-west of Hanover. The map, how- ever, is right, and your instincts wrong. For Port Darwin, start north-west, and travel 9,800 miles.

"The most distant point from Hanover is in the ocean off the south-west point of Australia in Latitude 46° 18' South, and Longitude 107° 43' E. This is just over 12,000 miles away. On the map this point is the entire outer circle. No matter in what direction you start from Hanover, this is where you will bring up eventually, provided that you fly on a great circle. Conversely, from this point, all flying paths lead to Hanover."

MATHEMATICS 3A-4A MEETS REQUIREMENTS FOR MILITARY SERVICE Some of the traditional "tough" subjects in the sciences have their largest enrollments inDartmouth's history because of certain requirements to be met for Army or Navy service,or because they are helpful to all students who will soon be in uniform. Prof. Bancroft H.Brown has two large special sections of mathematics that are meeting six times a weekthis summer thereby covering the work of a full year of mathematics during the summersemester which ends September 2.

Azimuthal Equidistant World Map: Center, the Dartmouth Observatory