Which errors in Christopher Columbus’s calculations caused him to underestimate the distance to Asia?

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Christopher Columbus’s underestimation of the distance to Asia was not due to a belief that the Earth was flat, as educated Europeans of his time already understood the Earth to be spherical. Instead, his miscalculations stemmed from several flawed geographic assumptions:1

  • Degree Length: Columbus used the Italian mile (4,847 feet) for his computations rather than the more accurate nautical mile (6,076 feet). This led him to calculate a degree of latitude as approximately 45 nautical miles, significantly shorter than the actual 60 nautical miles.12
  • Geographic Estimates: He rejected accurate estimates of the distance to Asia, preferring the calculations of Marinus of Tyre and a chart by Paolo Toscanelli, which suggested a much shorter journey.1
  • Exaggerated Landmass: Relying on Marco Polo’s Travels, Columbus believed the lands of the East stretched far around the globe. He also accepted Ptolemy’s exaggerated west-to-east extent of Asia and added to it, further reducing the perceived distance across the Atlantic.12
  • Proportion of Land to Water: Influenced by the Apocrypha, he believed the Earth was composed of six parts land to one part water, reinforcing his belief that the sea crossing would be short.1