# How good is your eyeballing skills? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 7, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865 "2008-10-07T17:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/21 "2008-10-07T18:53:38Z")
Um, not so good. In fact, pretty dang bad. ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/22 "2008-10-07T18:53:57Z")
Parallelogram 3.0 2.8 4.1 Midpoint 1.0 2.8 1.4 Bisect angle 1.5 1.5 6.5 Triangle center 3.1 0.8 7.5 Circle center 1.0 6.3 0.0 Right angle 1.6 7.3 0.4 Convergence 7.1 5.1 1.0 Average error: 3.13 (lower is better) I managed to botch a few in there pretty badly that skewed it high. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/23 "2008-10-07T18:58:56Z")
Parallelogram 3.6 Midpoint 1.4 Bisect angle 0.4 Triangle center 5.8 Circle center 5.7 Right angle 6.6 Convergence 3.2 Average error: 3.81 I was pretty happy about bisecting the angle so I only took one run. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/24 "2008-10-07T18:58:59Z")
All of mine were lower! My right triangle was .2 Woo Hoo! I assumed that I would really suck at this. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/25 "2008-10-07T18:59:53Z")
a bit of a cheat I couldn’t help but figure out The circle is pretty easy because of pixelized curving-line resolution. Just line up the between the flat line segents at top bottom and left and right, nail it every time. I wasn’t looking for a cheat, but I have worked with graphics enough it was too instinctive to not look at them ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/26 "2008-10-07T19:01:12Z")
2.51 Our offices were on the 14th floor of a building one time. I watched as they were building the monorail bridge over the road. The bridge didn’t look high enough to give 18-wheels clearance, but I never drove that way to take another look and traffic was blocked from the road. I worried about it for a few days then found the number for the city project and called them about it anyway. They said, “Why, yes. We’re planning on resurfacing and lowering the road.” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/27 "2008-10-07T19:01:58Z")
Well on the “worse” side of the curve, but mostly because of one really bad midpoint score where my moue slipped just as I was letting go. I still can’t believe I hit one of them dead on. Your inaccuracy by category: Parallelogram 2.0 7.1 3.2 Midpoint 3.6 59.5 2.2 Bisect angle 3.2 6.8 15.3 Triangle center 5.4 11.3 2.5 Circle center 2.2 3.6 2.2 Right angle 0.2 0.1 1.5 Convergence 12.2 0.0 6.1 Average error: 7.15 (lower is better) ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/28 "2008-10-07T19:03:50Z")
Parallelogram 4.5 7.8 4.1 Midpoint 9.0 8.6 3.2 Bisect angle 6.9 2.8 3.2 Triangle center 18.8 12.1 10.8 Circle center 7.1 4.1 3.2 Right angle 0.2 0.3 3.2 Convergence 4.0 17.0 52.1 Average error: 8.71 (lower is better) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/29 "2008-10-07T19:06:21Z")
Ah, yes. Much better the second time through. Your inaccuracy by category: Parallelogram 3.2 3.6 5.0 Midpoint 5.7 1.0 3.6 Bisect angle 0.9 0.4 2.4 Triangle center 1.5 5.4 4.3 Circle center 1.4 10.0 5.1 Right angle 0.7 0.5 10.0 Convergence 2.0 5.1 5.0 Average error: 3.66 (lower is better) ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/30 "2008-10-07T19:09:53Z")
Your inaccuracy by category: Parallelogram 4.2 4.5 9.4 Midpoint 3.2 4.1 2.0 Bisect angle 5.9 7.6 3.4 Triangle center 5.2 7.8 3.3 Circle center 5.1 2.2 3.2 Right angle 6.1 2.4 0.2 Convergence 4.0 1.0 2.8 Average error: 4.17 (lower is better) The angles kill me. I’m too anal retentive for this game - that’s why I have a surveyor and a computer! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/31 "2008-10-07T19:11:27Z")
First try… Parallelogram 16.0 6.4 5.4 Midpoint 7.3 1.0 3.6 Bisect angle 10.9 3.8 1.8 Triangle center 2.8 2.5 2.4 Circle center 3.2 3.6 4.5 Right angle 0.9 3.8 2.4 Convergence 10.6 2.2 2.2 Avg - 4.63 I’ll try again to see if I can beat that. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/32 "2008-10-07T19:12:36Z")
Dumb question–what’s convergence? I tried looking it up and got definitions that I don’t understand. I’m always way off on that one. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/33 "2008-10-07T19:13:13Z")
> [@N.Sane](#): > > Um, not so good. In fact, pretty dang bad. Better than I by far! What’s your score? ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/34 "2008-10-07T19:13:55Z")
If I cheat and break out a ruler…I get 5.66 I’m really bad. ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/35 "2008-10-07T19:15:32Z")
Your inaccuracy by category: Parallelogram 2.2 5.0 7.1 Midpoint 1.0 4.2 4.0 Bisect angle 0.2 2.9 0.0 Triangle center 3.3 3.8 3.6 Circle center 0.0 2.0 4.0 Right angle 4.9 2.4 1.3 Convergence 5.1 5.4 0.0 Average error: 2.97 (lower is better) Second try – dang, 3 were dead-on. That’s kind of cool, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/36 "2008-10-07T19:15:56Z")
Parallelogram 3.6 3.0 1.4 Midpoint 2.2 1.4 2.2 Bisect angle 3.1 1.1 5.2 Triangle center 5.7 2.4 2.5 Circle center 0.0 3.0 1.0 Right angle 0.7 3.6 2.2 Convergence 2.2 2.2 4.0 Average error: 2.51 (lower is better) Nailed the circle center the first time around. ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/37 "2008-10-07T19:16:39Z")
> [@N.Sane](#): > > Dumb question–what’s convergence? I tried looking it up and got definitions that I don’t understand. I’m always way off on that one. It’s where all the lines will meet (or converge) – bring the lines together so that they’re all still straight. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/38 "2008-10-07T19:18:52Z")
3.85. I’m pretty sure I would have scored higher before I learned to draft. ETA: Hah! I got a 0.0 on the midpoint of the line! ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/39 "2008-10-07T19:24:45Z")
OK, understanding what convergence meant helped. I did better, but still not well. Your inaccuracy by category: Parallelogram 13.3 7.3 13.6 Midpoint 2.2 8.5 9.5 Bisect angle 6.4 9.0 2.2 Triangle center 7.2 4.1 6.1 Circle center 6.3 5.0 10.2 Right angle 1.3 2.7 2.3 Convergence 4.5 5.1 8.2 Average error: 6.43 (lower is better) ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865/40 "2008-10-07T19:25:36Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > a bit of a cheat I couldn’t help but figure out > > The circle is pretty easy because of pixelized curving-line resolution. Just line up the between the flat line segents at top bottom and left and right, nail it every time. > I wasn’t looking for a cheat, but I have worked with graphics enough it was too instinctive to not look at them I didn’t think that was cheating; how else would one center a circle without using the quadrants? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-good-is-your-eyeballing-skills/466865.md?page=3)