Currituck Beach Lighthouse
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a historic landmark located in Corolla, North Carolina. Built in 1875, the lighthouse stands at 162 feet tall and is open for visitors to climb to the top and take in the stunning views of the Outer Banks. The lighthouse is a popular attraction for tourists and local residents alike.
The importance of measuring the perimeter
Measuring the perimeter of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse can provide valuable information about its size and shape. The perimeter is the distance around the entire base of the lighthouse and the top section. Knowing the perimeter is helpful in understanding how much material was used to construct the lighthouse and how much space it takes up on its foundation. It can also be used to compare the size of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse to other lighthouses around the world.
The base of the lighthouse
The base of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a polygon shape with eight sides. The sides are not all equal in length, which makes it more challenging to calculate the perimeter. However, by measuring the length of each side and adding them together, the perimeter of the base can be determined.
Measuring the circumference of the base
To find the circumference of the base, the length of one side needs to be multiplied by the number of sides. This gives an estimate of the perimeter of the base. However, since the sides of the base are not all equal, this method may not be entirely accurate. A more precise method is to measure each side’s length and add them together to determine the perimeter.
The height of the lighthouse
The height of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is 162 feet. This information is helpful when calculating the slant height of the lighthouse.
Calculating the slant height
The slant height is the distance from the top of the lighthouse to any point on the base. To calculate the slant height, the Pythagorean theorem can be used. By squaring the height and adding it to the square of half the base’s width, the square root of the sum provides the slant height.
The shape of the lighthouse
The top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a cylinder shape. Calculating the perimeter of a cylinder involves finding the circumference of the top and bottom circles and adding them together.
Finding the perimeter of the top section
To find the perimeter of the top section, the circumference of the top circle needs to be calculated. The formula for the circumference of a circle is 2πr where "r" is the radius of the circle. The radius of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse’s top section is approximately 17 feet.
Adding the base and top section
After finding the perimeters of the base and top sections, they can be added together to find the total perimeter of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.
Final calculations for the perimeter
The base of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse has a perimeter of approximately 242 feet. The top section has a perimeter of approximately 107 feet. Adding the two together gives a total perimeter of approximately 349 feet.
Conclusion: The length of Currituck Beach Lighthouse perimeter
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse’s perimeter is approximately 349 feet. Measuring the perimeter provides valuable information about the lighthouse’s size and shape, and it can be used to compare the Currituck Beach Lighthouse to other lighthouses around the world.
Other interesting facts about the lighthouse
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse was one of the last lighthouses built on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was originally powered by a kerosene lamp with a third-order Fresnel lens. The lighthouse was automated in 1939 and is still in operation today. Visitors can climb the 220 steps to the top to take in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound.
