There is no point reaching for a calculator that cannot show its working. This one starts from base polygon, d, height (oc), height (oc), number of sides, side (ab), side (ab), tan, atan, cos and acos and reports slanted height (mo), slanted side (bo) and segment mc, so you can see how each answer follows from the numbers you entered.
What Is the Pyramid Angle Calculator?
The pyramid angle calculator works through base polygon, d, height (oc), height (oc), number of sides, side (ab), side (ab), tan, atan, cos and acos to give you slanted height (mo), slanted side (bo) and segment mc.
It is aimed at the case where you know the method but not the arithmetic: schoolwork, a quick check on a worked example, or a figure that needs to be right first time.
How the Pyramid Angle Works
Each step is applied in order and depends only on the values before it, which makes it possible to follow the calculation rather than take it on trust.
If you are working through the same problem by hand afterwards, compare the intermediate values. That is where a mistake usually shows itself.
Checking Your Own Working
Round sensibly as you go and keep the full precision in the calculator. Rounding too early is the most common way of getting a right method to give a wrong answer.
Where a result should be a whole number, such as a count, check it against the constraint that produced it. A fraction of a person is a sign that something upstream needs revisiting.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with base polygon set to 4, d set to 10, height (oc) set to 5, the calculator returns segment mc of -16.90258, and segment mc (segment mc cus) of 0.98471, and alpha of 11.28319. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out slanted height (mo)?
Enter base polygon, d, height (oc), height (oc), number of sides, side (ab), side (ab), tan, atan, cos and acos. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports slanted height (mo), slanted side (bo) and segment mc.
What does the pyramid angle actually calculate?
It takes base polygon, d, height (oc), height (oc), number of sides, side (ab), side (ab), tan, atan, cos and acos and converts them into slanted height (mo), slanted side (bo) and segment mc using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter base polygon?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Can I use this for a quick estimate as well as a precise answer?
Yes. The calculator is built for quick checks, so round your inputs to a sensible number of significant figures and the result will be just as useful. If you need more precision, keep the same method and add digits to the inputs rather than adjusting the method itself.