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Hot air balloon rides have become a popular celebration treat. But do they really just drift with the wind? Investigate the meticulous planning needed for round-the-world flights. Learn how journeys are monitored and measured, and discover how pilots merge mathematics and geography while high above the ground. This material forms part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.
Track 3: Spherical geometry
This track shows us how a hot air balloon is produced and how the application of spherical geometry is imperative when planning a round the world flight, and what programmes and software packages are used to make these calculations.
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Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Showing the way they went | A short introduction to this album. Play now Showing the way they went |
| 2 | A hot air balloon journey | An insight into the planning that goes into a hot air balloon journey and also how maps can be produced through filming from a hot air balloon. Play now A hot air balloon journey |
| 3 | Spherical geometry | This track shows us how a hot air balloon is produced and how the application of spherical geometry is imperative when planning a round the world flight, and what programmes and software packages are used to make these calculations. Play now Spherical geometry |
| 4 | Looking for Theta | Through a complex example, we learn how journeys are measured when the points are not on the equator and how this is calculated using Theta. Play now Looking for Theta |
| 5 | Great-circle distance | Great-circle distances might be the shortest way to travel, but they are not always the easiest. We also look at how lines of latitude aren't great-circles and that permission must be acquired to fly over many countries. Play now Great-circle distance |
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