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From: Jim Pennino <jimp@gonzo.specsol.net>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,sci.physics
Subject: Re: A Problem To Solve :-)
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2024 10:54:17 -0700
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In sci.physics Physfitfreak <physfitfreak@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 4/1/24 05:13, Farley Flud wrote:
>> On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 19:40:02 -0500, Physfitfreak wrote:
>> 
>>>
>>> If the missile computes that 5 fighter jets at time t will exactly be at
>>> these coordinates in the sky:
>>>
>>> Jet 1: (4.38 km, 3.9 km, 8.1 km)
>>> Jet 2: (5.23 km, 9.61 km, 4.74 km)
>>> Jet 3: (6.93 km, 6.01 km, 6.88 km)
>>> Jet 4: (8.32 km, 2.12 km, 2.5 km)
>>> Jet 5: (2.53 km, 4.23 km, 5.82 km)
>>>
>>> then answer the following 2 questions:
>>>
>>> 1- what would be the coordinates of the point in the sky, that the
>>> missile with the weakest warhead needs to explode at, at time t, to
>>> damage all those 5 fighter jets critically enough?
>>>
>>> 2- within what minimum radius of that explosion, any fighter jet would
>>> get critically damaged at time t?
>>>
>> 
>> AFAIK, this is a very difficult problem.'
>> 
>> But algorithms have recently been developed.  The best one is, of
>> course, implemented in FOSS:
>> 
>> https://github.com/hbf/miniball
>> 
>> When I get some free time I may try it out.
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> Like most other math or physics problems, one can solve it in very 
> difficult ways too :) Hehe :)
> 
> Question is, can you solve it by using nothing other than at most 
> college algebra! No PDE's. No calculus. Just simple college algebra math.

Since the intercept problem requires the solution of three dimensional
differential equations, no.

> 
> This "Miniball" is interesting though :) But heck, I solved it myself 

You can not solve a problem you do not understand and it is blazingly
obvious to anyone that has even a little experience in solving intercept
problems that you haven't a clue.