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Stand facing the moon. Hold your arm straight out holding the ruler horizontal and across your line of sight. Raise or lower the ruler stick so that the diameter of the moon is aligned with the straight edge. Using the pen, mark the apparent positions of the two ends of the diameter. Suppose the distance between then is x millimetres.

Measure the distance from your eye to the ruler stick = y mm.

Suppose the known diameter of the moon is m km.

Then, by similar triangles, x/y = m/d where the distance to the moon is d km. That is, d = (m*y/x) km.

It is best to use the same measurement unit for x and y, and for m and d. They can be Imperial or metric (or made up ones). That will avoid having to convert.

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Q: How could you determine the distance to the moon knowing only the diameter and having only a meter stick and a pen?
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