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Question 114

How did Eratosthenes estimate Earth's circumference?

  1. By comparing sunlight angles at different locationsCorrect answer
  2. By sailing once around the entire globe
  3. By assuming Earth was a flat disk
  4. By timing a steam-powered vessel

Explanation

Eratosthenes compared the angles made by sunlight at different places and used geometry to infer the size of Earth. Sailing around the globe was unnecessary, and a flat-Earth assumption would undermine the calculation.

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Question 114: How did Eratosthenes estimate Earth's circumference? · Ancient Greece · Questena