2001 A Space Odyssey (the novel): dimensions of the monolith?

[Cunctator]

I’ve just finished the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur Clarke. It was certainly an entertaining read.

I noted something odd though. Much stress is laid on the fact that the monolith:is constructed with a “fantastic degree of precision” such that its dimensions are exactly in the ratio 1[sup]2[/sup] : 2[sup]2[/sup] : 3[sup]2[/sup], presumably as a recognisable sign of alien intelligence.Yet:when the monolith’s actual dimensions are given, they’re said to be 1.25 feet x 5 feet x 11 feet, which are clearly not in the ratio 1 : 4 : 9Oops.

[randwill]

Arthur C. Clarke is dead. Leave him alone.

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

Meh. It’s obvious in context that the actual dimensions given are an approximation. Or did you think the aliens were using English measurements?

Alternately: “a fantastic degree of precision” means “within three inches.”

[Cunctator]

@Biffy the Elephant Shrew

Meh. It’s obvious in context that the actual dimensions given are an approximation.

The text says “when its dimensions were checked with great care” so I’d say that the context implies quite the opposite.

[Steve_MB]

@Cunctator

I’ve just finished the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur Clarke. It was certainly an entertaining read.

I noted something odd though. Much stress is laid on the fact that the monolith:is constructed with a “fantastic degree of precision” such that its dimensions are exactly in the ratio 1[sup]2[/sup] : 2[sup]2[/sup] : 3[sup]2[/sup], presumably as a recognisable sign of alien intelligence.Yet:when the monolith’s actual dimensions are given, they’re said to be 1.25 feet x 5 feet x 11 feet, which are clearly not in the ratio 1 : 4 : 9Oops.

It looks like a typo, and the last measurement should be 11.25.

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@Cunctator

The text says “when its dimensions were checked with great care” so I’d say that the context implies quite the opposite.

No, that’s exactly what suggests that the measurements given in the previous sentence were not checked with great care. When they did take precise measurements, they discovered the ratio.

[Musicat]

What puzzles me is why an alien civilization, before Earth developed to the point where measurements were standardized, would construct any object that just happened to have dimensions that were an even, exact multiple of “inches” or “feet”, a dimension that is unlikely to exist anywhere else in the universe by accident. Isn’t it more likely that one dimension turned out to be something like 5.72998303 feet, regardless of ratios?

[Baldwin]

@Musicat

What puzzles me is why an alien civilization, before Earth developed to the point where measurements were standardized, would construct any object that just happened to have dimensions that were an even, exact multiple of “inches” or “feet”, a dimension that is unlikely to exist anywhere else in the universe by accident. Isn’t it more likely that one dimension turned out to be something like 5.72998303 feet, regardless of ratios?

Well, they wouldn’t; all the more reason to assume the dimensions given are an approximation, since the ratios are more important than the actual linear dimensions.

Looking at this image it looks like they maintained those ratios in the movie prop. As a film buff, I wish I could have the experience of watching 2001 without knowing anything about it – getting used to the man-apes of four million years ago, then seeing them wake up to find the utterly inexplicable in the form of that monolith.

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@Musicat

What puzzles me is why an alien civilization, before Earth developed to the point where measurements were standardized, would construct any object that just happened to have dimensions that were an even, exact multiple of “inches” or “feet”, a dimension that is unlikely to exist anywhere else in the universe by accident.

Exactly. The aliens wouldn’t have used English measure. Perhaps the smallest dimension was really a little shy of 1 1/4 feet, say by a quarter inch. Then the measurements would be more like 1.23’ x 4.92’ x 11.06’. If communicating that in plain English, I’d call it 1 1/4 by 5 by 11.

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@Biffy the Elephant Shrew

1.23’ x 4.92’ x 11.06’

Before anyone questions my figures, I started with 14.75 inches and rounded the figures in feet to two places. I should have made the discrepancy .02’ instead of .25", so the last figure would be 11.07 and the ratio would come out exact.