Re: Mathematics Code

 BBS: Inland Empire Archive
Date: 12-18-92 (00:24)             Number: 390
From: JIM VAN NULAND               Refer#: NONE
  To: SEAN PAGE                     Recvd: NO  
Subj: Re: Mathematics Code           Conf: (2) Quik_Bas

 >Using the descriptions given above, calulate the
 >range between ships.

    The distance is the square root of the sum of squares
of differences in each co-ordinate. That is:

  dist = sqr((x2-x1)^2 + (y2-y1)^2 + (z2-z1)^2)

  Now, for the azimuth and elevation, these are similar to the computation of
the position of a planet -- the conversion from rectangular
co-ordinates into (geocentric) longitude and latitude.
Unhappily I'm nearly out of time and don't know them
offhand enough to quickly type them in.  If you find them
in an astro or math book, be very careful in the arc-
cosine, the one that will give you the azimuth, as it's
troublesome to obtain the correct quadrant.

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