> Er... I know you're a mathematician, and I know that I have't exactly
> had a high record for accuracy on these pages, but I just don't see how this
> can be right. Not the bit about the axiom, that's evidently true... I just
> don't see how it applies in this case. Remember the lines may be of different
> length, and you have no way of measuring this. I tried drawing it on paper
> and it looks like Phillip is right. Can't send diagrams over e-mail, but I've
> convinced meself. Two lines may meet only once, but there are an infinity of
> lines that meet at the same angle, aren't there? And the angle is what you're
> measuring with compasses...
There's another postulate you aren't considering, though. Only one line can pass through any two points.
Since the two compasses each point toward a particular point, and the
other point is *the location of the compass*, given that you have a
map showing the "homing point" for both compasses, you can determine
your own location quite easily. It's called "Triangulation".
- --
Manager, Computer Content
Dueling Modems <http://www.dm.net>
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