I want to add that measuring the sides doesn't give you enough information
to make an accurate scale model. You must also measure the angles (very
difficult to be accurate) or the diagonals (recommended), and ensure that
your model is accurate those ways too.

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
Making a paper model sounds like a good idea to me, but if you want to
work
on the ground instead, bisect the southeast angle and bisect the southwest
angle. Where the bisectors meet is the center of your circle. Note that
because your west side is bent, there may not be a perfect circle that
touches all 3 sides, but the bisection method will find it if it exists.
.
"Warren" wrote in message
...
DrLith wrote:

I didn't do real good at geometry class, either, but I think I did
come
up
with a reasonable scale drawing of the space you described. If I'm
close,
then a 12' diameter circle will NOT be big enough to do what you want
it
to. The center of such a circle would need to be 6' up from the street
and
6' in from the driveway if it's going to touch both, and it's not
going
to
touch the west/northwest "almost straight" boundary at all.

Instead, you're going to need something closer to 17-18' in diameter
(about 8.5' in radius) centered 8.5-9' north of the street edge and
8.5-9'
west of the driveway edge.

I'd suggest you draw out your own scale drawing, though--not too hard
to
do if you cut out line segments of the appropriate length, lay down
the
easy parts first (south and east side) and then test position the
other
three segments until you get a mostly right angle in the northwest.

I think you're right. I cut-out some paper strips to represent the
sides.
Took me a good half-hour to get them down right, and that was even after
using corners of the paper to make combined south and east, and north
and
northwest sides. It took awhile, including re-taping a couple of times
when
corners didn't line-up, but I finally got it down.

I then used variously sized lids from jars and bottles until I found
what
that fit the way I was hoping, and when I measured it, it was about 17
units
in diameter.

Truth is, I never did get it to fit as snugly into the narrow end as I
was
seeing when I was looking at the actual location. This leaves me with
two
too big areas in the southwest and southeast corners, and a circular
area
far bigger than I want. I can't believe my perception from the ground
was
so
far off.

Even if I fudge everything in favor of what I envisioned, I still don't
get
down to anything close to the 12' diameter I was guessing.

Of course this is exactly why I wanted to know all my measurements
*before*
I started digging, and placing stones.

--
Warren H.

==========
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I would just walk around and put about 10 stakes in the ground by eye.
Then string a couple strings across to find the center and then mark
your circle from there. You might have to do it 2 or 3 times. Good Luck

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in
:

Making a paper model sounds like a good idea to me, but if you want to
work on the ground instead, bisect the southeast angle and bisect the
southwest angle. Where the bisectors meet is the center of your
circle. Note that because your west side is bent, there may not be a
perfect circle that touches all 3 sides, but the bisection method will
find it if it exists. .

I thought this is what Caroline suggested but apparently not. The radius,
r, of the circle to the south end should form the same edge for triangles
made from half of each bisected angle. By symmetry, the west and east side
should have the same r, giving you a correct solution. Good job.