Estimation: Walking the Appalachian Trail (empirical)

You've done your best to make a theoretical estimate. Now see if you can improve it with a little experimentation.

Have one member of your group get a meterstick from the instructor. Figure out a procedure which will allow you to estimate the stride length for each member of your group. Carry out the procedure; it's okay to go out into the hallway briefly, if necessary. Write down your measurements, and calculate the average stride length for the members of your group.

The instructor will give each group a map of the US. Have another member of your group measure the length of the trail from the map.

• Using the average measured stride length, calculate the number of strides to walk the trail.
• Using the largest and smallest stride length in your group, calculate a range in the number of strides it might take to walk the trail (i.e. "between 100,000 and 130,000").
• Compare this latest value to your group's earlier estimate. Does the early estimate fall within your current range?

Copyright © Michael Richmond. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.