GPS Treasure Hunt Math: Coordinate Formats, Distances & Bearings, Waypoint Projection, Puzzle Checksums and Multi-Stage Final Coordinates
Solve outdoor coordinate puzzles with a spreadsheet. You will convert between decimal degrees, degrees-minutes and degrees-minutes-seconds, measure distances and bearings between waypoints, project a new waypoint from a distance and bearing, decode puzzle clues with digit sums and letter values, chain stages into a final coordinate and check how small errors move the target, with every cell checked as you go.
One-time payment · lifetime access · lessons, labs, exam and certificate included · no subscription.
About this course
In this course you solve outdoor coordinate puzzles with a spreadsheet, following one fictional puzzle club from the first waypoint to the final. You convert between decimal degrees, degrees and decimal minutes and degrees-minutes-seconds, and learn what one digit of a coordinate is worth in metres. You measure the distance between waypoints with a flat local rule and the haversine formula, and find bearings with ATAN and a quadrant correction. You project new waypoints from a distance and a bearing and decode clues with digit sums, digital roots and letter values. Finally you chain stage values into a final coordinate, run a radius check and chart a found and not-found log.
Lessons
- Coordinate Formats: Decimal Degrees, Degrees-Minutes and Degrees-Minutes-Seconds Pro
- What a Digit Is Worth: Metres per Minute of Latitude and Longitude Pro
- Distances Between Waypoints: the Flat Local Rule and the Haversine Formula Pro
- Bearings by Hand: ATAN, Quadrant Correction, MOD 360 and Compass Points Pro
- Waypoint Projection: a New Point from Distance and Bearing with the Flat Rule Pro
- Puzzle Clues: Digit Sums, Digital Roots and Letter Values from a Table Pro
- Multi-Stage Hunts: Stage Values into the Final Formula and a Radius Check Pro
- Capstone: How a Wrong Digit Moves the Final, a Found / Not-Found Log and a Chart Pro