I don't recognize your equation for the cone because you've introduced a variable z without explaining what it is. You also are missing necessary square roots.

You can't just set the slope at 1 because the slope has a complex effect on the observed heights. Doing that massively simplifies the answer.

Those two math errors are significant enough that I see no reason to analyze farther.

Update: BrowserUk pointed out where the equation came from. Indeed it did not need square roots. However the slope definitely matters.

In reply to Re^2: OT:Math problem: Grids and conical sections. by tilly
in thread OT:Math problem: Grids and conical sections. by BrowserUk

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