How Do Track Runners Use Geometry?
Track runners run on what is called an “oval” track, though it actually consists of two semicircles connected by two straightaways. The track usually has six to 10 lanes (an Olympic track has eight), and the innermost lane typically measures 400 meters all the way around. (See Reference 2.) Due to the rules of geometry, though, each lane after the innermost one is successively longer than the lane closer to the inside, leaving an opportunity for track runners to use geometry to their advantage.
