the 2nd is more accurate

the first is close, for small values of d

si the second on exponential

What is the significance of the first being parabolic?

a parabola is not a circle, thus it can't be used to accurately represent a circle

ok is the second formula exponential

Why not?

@jeremy the 2nd is a trig function, not exponential

@AstralSentient well it is accurate 'enough' over the short distances, but it doesn't match a circle, it's a different shape

no more than a zigzag represents a straight line

I'm not quite sure of the context. You mean parabola on a graph with horizontal distance and vertical drop as your inputs or just that the tangent line from the curve giving h= 8d^2 makes a parabola?

both of what you said are teh same thing

No they aren't, one is a visual example, another is a coordinate plane graph

Both the same

8d^2 is a parabola

and only matches a circle for a limited range of d

They aren't the same. I think that is your mistake here. Assuming they are the same.
Another important thing to consider is that height and distance can be different on a sphere. Think of height relative to the center and straight down to the curve from a tangent line.

we're only concerned with the latter height

that's what these equations calculate

and since they're different equations, they give slightly different shapes

one a parabola, one a circle

the one that is a circle is better to use when considering a spherical object like the earth

🤔

Sure, on a graph, with the parabola modeling the drop on a sphere from a tangent line

exactly

the parabola doesn't match the circle, eventually they diverge

uncharted what do u think

he seems unsure also

It matching a circle on the graph is irrelevant.

SO is there a debate to the shape of the earth?

b/c we have accuratly mapped it out, and that shows a sphere

About what?

@jeremy

Flight paths use this information to go from place to place

idk u posted the puzzling emoji

er thinking whatever that emoji is

Yes I know I posted that

what u thinkin about

I don't see what the conversation is about I don't mean to intrude

what do u think the formula for the curvature of a circle is

I don't care much for it if I'll be honest