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Triangulation is a way of finding where something is without going there. You stand at two places whose positions you already know, measure the angle to the far object from each one, and the two lines cross at exactly one point — that is your answer. Because a triangle's shape is fixed once you know one side and two angles, the maths gives you the missing distance. used this for centuries to map whole countries, and sailors and used it with a compass and a map to work out their own position from two landmarks.
Triangulation is a way of finding where something is without going theretriangulation是一種不用親自到現場，就能找出某個東西在哪裡的方法 You stand at two places whose positions you already know你站在兩個你已經知道位置的地方 measure the angle to the far object from each one從各自的位置量出到遠方那個目標物的角度 and the two lines cross at exactly one point — that is your answer這兩條線正好在一點交叉——那就是答案 Because a triangle's shape is fixed once you know one side and two angles因為只要知道一邊和兩個角，三角形的形狀就固定了 the maths gives you the missing distance數學就能算出你缺的那段距離 Surveyors used this for centuries to map whole countries測量員用這個方法測繪整個國家好幾百年了 sailors and hikers used it with a compass and a map to work out their own position from two landmarks水手和登山者也會用指北針和地圖，靠兩個地標算出自己的位置
The word also has a wider meaning that students meet more often. In research and journalism, triangulation means checking one fact from two or three independent sources instead of trusting one — the same idea, borrowed: two known points fix the truth. You will see 'triangulate the data' in academic writing.
The word also has a wider meaning that students meet more often這個字還有一個更廣的意思，學生更常遇到 In research and journalism, triangulation means checking one fact from two or three independent sources instead of trusting one在研究和新聞領域裡，triangulation指的是用兩、三個獨立來源交叉查證一件事，而不是只相信一個來源 the same idea, borrowed: two known points fix the truth借用的是同一個概念：兩個已知的點，鎖定真相 You will see 'triangulate the data' in academic writing你會在學術寫作裡看到「triangulate the data交叉驗證資料」
It is a formal, technical word. The verb is triangulate; the person's job is a , not a 'triangulator'.
It is a formal, technical word這是個正式、專業的字 The verb is triangulate; the person's job is a surveyor, not a 'triangulator'動詞是triangulate；而這份工作的人叫surveyor（測量員），不是「triangulator」
Note that GPS is often loosely called triangulation, but your phone is really measuring distances from satellites, not angles — the proper name for that is trilateration. Even engineers say triangulation, so it is not a mistake you need to fear, just something to know.
Note that GPS is often loosely called triangulation要注意的是，GPS常常被隨口說成triangulation but your phone is really measuring distances from satellites, not angles但你的手機其實是在測量到衛星的距離，不是角度 the proper name for that is trilateration正確的名稱應該是trilateration（三邊測量） Even engineers say triangulation, so it is not a mistake you need to fear, just something to know連工程師都會說triangulation，所以這不是你需要害怕犯的錯，只是一個該知道的小知識
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
triangulationnoun/tɹaɪˌæŋɡjʊˈleɪʃən/
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geographynatural-sciencessurveyingA technique in which distances and directions are estimated from an accurately measured baseline and the principles of trigonometry; (countable) an instance of the use of this technique.
- The season of 1835–36 was employed in carrying on the triangulation; in which Colonel [George] Everest was much impeded by a long continuance of hazy and cloudy weather. It appears, however, that the principal triangulation was brought down to the line from Juktipura to Pagara; […]
- Russia began under Catherine II, and has since constantly either taken up at different points or extended the triangulations successively made, with always more perfection of men of science. Now, these triangulations form a fully connected series from north of the arctic circle to south of Dorpat.
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geographynatural-sciencessurveyingThe network of triangles so obtained, that are the basis of a chart or map.
- […] I have placed myself in communication with the Astronomer Royal, for the purpose of considering the steps necessary to be taken to effect the connexion required, between the triangulation of Great Britain and that of Belgium. […] I have also placed myself in communication with General Nerenburger, Director of the Dêpot de la Guerre at Brussels, and have received from him the diagram of the Belgian triangulation, with descriptions of the stations with which it is necessary to connect our triangulation, and we possess a copy of the triangulation of France.
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board-gameschessgamesA delaying move in which the king moves in a triangular path to force the advance of a pawn.
- [page 76] At this point, it may be useful to refer to a word that has been used in connection with earlier examples. The King has been said to indulge in a process called Triangulation. The word is harder than the idea. The basic fact is that the King can move to an adjacent square in one move, two moves or three moves, without returning to its point of origin. […] [page 77] This diagram […] shows a position where the triangulation is vital.
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geometrymathematicssciencesA subdivision of a planar object into triangles, and by extension the subdivision of a higher-dimension geometric object into simplices.
- Regular triangulations are a class in-between lifting and lexicographic triangulations. Their main draw-back in the context of this paper is that regularity depends on the specific realization and not only on the oriented matroid.
- A triangulation of a point configuration #92;mathbf#123;A#125;#92;in#92;mathbb#123;R#125;ᵈ is a collection of d-simplices all of whose vertices are points in #92;mathbf#123;A#125; that satisfies the following two properties: 1. The union of all these simplices equals conv(#92;mathbf#123;A#125;). (Union Property) 2. Any pair of these simplices intersects in a common face (possibly empty). (Intersection Property)
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geographygeologynatural-sciencesA process by which an unknown location is found using three known distances from known locations.
- A special advantage of radar is that it works during darkness and other periods of low visibility, which prevent visual triangulation and aircraft techniques for measuring nuclear clouds.
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governmentpoliticsThe practice of repositioning one's group or oneself on the political spectrum in an attempt to capture the centre.
- Triangulation was a presidential leadership strategy that presented the president as having borrowed elements of both the right and the left to develop some form of center policy amalgam.
- Increased security for women's health clinics was part of [Bill] Clinton's "third way," a politics of triangulation that moved the Democratic Party closer to the right and embraced neoliberal economic policies while offering comparatively moderate social positions.
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The use of three (or more) researchers to interview the same people or to evaluate the same evidence to reduce the impact of individual bias.
- One recent attempt to combine both forms of data collection […] was based on a parallel methods approach, in which the results of two similar but separately located studies were triangulated. Triangulation entails overlapping the results at several points to enhance reliability. […] Other documented research has attempted to gain a broader view through the triangulation of two sets of data (quantitative and qualitative) on the same question, taken from the same respondents in a single study.
- Even though triangulation is used in quantitative paradigm for confirmation and generalization of a research, Barbour (1998) does not disregard the notion of triangulation in qualitative paradigm and she states the need to define triangulation from a qualitative research's perspective in each paradigm. For example, in using triangulation of several data sources in quantitative research, any exception may lead to a disconfirmation of the hypothesis where exceptions in qualitative research are dealt to modify the theories and are fruitful.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。