[Squeakland] More thoughts - Re: Demoing Etoys to kids

[stéphane ducasse]

Hi alan

I always liked the way ancient measured pyramid using the shadow of a  
know piece of wood and use Thales theorem.
At least it was a really practical example, I used to teach Thales  
beauty.

> For example, if we occlude a quarter with a dime and measure this  
> carefully, we see that the distance in diameters has to be the same.
> <dimeQuarter.png>
>

Now I do not understand the "distance in diameters"
Which
>
> And if we then occlude the moon with a coin (as Aristarchos of  
> Samos indeed did!) we will find that it takes about 110 coin  
> diameters, and this means that the moon is 110 moon diameters away  
> from us!

How do we get 110?
>
>  Children love this (too bad adults don't, or they would know about  
> this and teach it to children).

Some do :)

Stef