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Portugal · Famous People · Hard
The mathematician and astronomer Pedro Nunes (1502–1578) invented which navigational instrument that was crucial to Portuguese exploration?
Answer: The nonius — a device for taking precise fractional readings on measuring instruments — Pedro Nunes, a brilliant mathematician and cosmographer, invented the nonius, a vernier-like device for precise angular measurement that greatly improved celestial navigation at sea.
- A The astrolabe
- B The mariner's compass
- C The quadrant
- D The nonius — a device for taking precise fractional readings on measuring instruments ✓
Pedro Nunes, a brilliant mathematician and cosmographer, invented the nonius, a vernier-like device for precise angular measurement that greatly improved celestial navigation at sea.