This concept explores the relationship between projectile deviation and distance. A deviation of 0.25 inches at a distance of 100 yards implies a certain angular error. Calculating the deviation at 50 yards involves understanding that this angular error remains constant, while the linear deviation changes proportionally with distance. Thus, halving the distance halves the deviation.
Understanding this proportional relationship is crucial in fields requiring precision over distance, such as firearms accuracy, ballistics, and surveying. By knowing the deviation at a reference distance, one can accurately predict deviations at other distances, improving accuracy and efficiency. This principle has been implicitly understood and utilized for centuries in activities like archery and cannon fire, becoming formalized with the development of modern ballistics.