FINDING: Plimpton 322 encodes a sexagesimal geometric progression of secant squares (or squared ratios) corresponding to a decreasing sequence of generating angles, forming a primitive Pythagorean triple table with a hidden trigonometric structure. MATH: Each row yields a normalized right triangle with short side \ (a\), long side \ (b\), and diagonal \ (d\) such that \ (a² + b² = d²\). The tablet lists \ (d² / a²\) (secant squared) in sexagesimal, decreasing linearly from row 1 to row 15. The generating parameter \ (p/q\) (with \ (p > q\), both regular sexagesimal integers) produces triples via \ (a = p² - q²\), \ (b = 2pq\), \ (d = p² + q²\). The secant ratio \ (d/a = (p²+q²) / (p²-q²) \) yields values: row 1 ≈ 1. 9834 (sexagesimal 1;59, 0, 15), row 15 ≈ 1. 3872 (sexagesimal 1;23, 13, 46). The step between successive secant squares is approximately constant in reciprocal form, suggesting a geometric progression of angles. CONNECTION: The secant values correspond to angles \ (\) whe Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence. com
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