Joe Joe, Help me understand something here. The compass should only behave really inaccurately near/at the magnetic pole, correct? From what I know there are about 2 or 3 different "poles" (maybe 4 if you count the Pole on this bbs). The "South Pole" that most people see is far inland, then there's a geographic south pole which is also inland, and also the "magnetic south pole", which as you stated, is in the ocean. I would think this lost guy is at the geographic south pole, correct? Maybe the teacher should've said "a very accurate GPS" instead of compass.
The guy could do it at the geographic south pole, but would need more than a compass. Since he didn't know where he was he would have to assume the direction in the compass was either north or south. How does a person walk south with a compass? He looks at direction of the needle on the compass which is towards the magnetic north pole or away from the magnetic south. The direction he thinks is south, geographically , is south magnetically. Geographically speaking, he could end up walking north(geographically) using the needle instead of south, which he thinks he's doing according to the radio. When he starts to walk east according to the compass, he'll be walking in an arc around the magnetic south pole because his compass tells him that is east.
If you're between the geographic south pole and magentic south poll, the compass will tell you north is south and south is north.
OK, question about compasses. If we know that the needle actually points toward magnetic north then why wouldn't they just adjust is so when it points to north it's the north we all think about. Or do they do this.
Chemisty for Engineers. Well the answer was the freakin South Pole! I missed out on my bonus points because freakin North Pole cant have some freakin rocks! Oh well, stay tuned for more weekly bonus point puzzlers.
A compass is based on a magnet. It will point to the magnetic north. Depending where you are, the adjustment would be slightly different, except around the poles were it would be dramatically different. If I knew my location and had a compass, I could easily readjust my direction to be geographic north. GPS does this, but a GPS isn't a compass. The question is fubar. Sorry you got it "wrong".
lol! But as for the South Pole being the answer: wtf? How can you go south from the south pole? Can we get a fuller explanation, because that doesn't sound right.
I believe the answer wanted is near (about 1.16 miles from) the south pole. Let's call the rock point "A" which is ~1.16 miles from the south pole. You walk a mile south from point A to point B (0.16 miles). Walk east in a complete circle around the south pole, maintaining the same latitude, that happens to be one mile (2*.16*pi) long so you are at point B again. Walk a mile North to point A. I'm sorry. This is dificult to explain without pictures and our scanner is down.
This is why this riddle is bogus. You can't be "exactly at the South Pole" and do this. The smaller the diameter/circumference of the circle you draw around the South Pole, the more revolutions you must make around to satisfy the general formula that firecat posted. When they say "at the South Pole", it can't be right.
OK just so I'm not stupid. The North Pole works also (except for the rock part which doesn't work for either pole), right? Walk down a mile south. Walk east in a damn arc of a circle (only part of it) around the earth, then walk a mile north and you have to be at the pole again. As long as the north/south directions have equal magnitude and you only walk directly east/west any distance, you always end up back at the Pole.
Thanks and yeah you did. It was late at night when I asked the question to begin with. I figured I would wake up and submit my answer via WEBCT (I swear Webct was invented to ruin my life). The bonus points were only for the first 10 people and I was too late! Damn nerdy people!
