The Truth About Coordinates (And Floating Points)

Content

WHAT THE NUMBER OF DIGITS IN YOUR COORDINATES MEANS LATI ON PRECISION MEANING 28’N, 80W 28.5N. 80.6’W 28.52’N, 80.68W 28.523N, 80.683W YOU’RE PROBABLY DOING SOMETHING SPACE-RELATED YOURE POINTING OUT A SPECIFIC CITY YOU’RE POINTING OUT A NEIGHBORHOOD YOU’RE POINTING OUT A SPECIFIC SUBURBAN CUL-DE-SAC 28.5234N, 80.6830W YOU’RE POINTING TO A PARTICULAR CORNER OF A HOUSE 28.52345N, 80.68309W 28.5234571N, 80.6830941W 28.523457182N, 80.683094159W 28.523457182818284, 80.683094159265358W YOURE POINTING TO A SPECIFIC PERSON IN A ROOM, BUT SINCE YOU DIDN’T INCLUDE DATUM INFORMATION, WE CAN’T TELL WHO YOU’RE POINTING TO WALDO ON A PAGE "HEY, CHECK OUT THIS SPECIFIC SAND GRAIN!" EITHER YOU’RE HANDING OUT RAW FLOATING POINT VARIABLES, OR YOU’VE BUILT A DATABASE TO TRACK INDIVIDUAL ATOMS. IN EITHER CASE, PLEASE STOP.