Farmer Roswell’s Crop Circles

Farmer Randi Roswell leased land near a New Mexico air force base to grow alfalfa on the flat high plains within eyesight of Hanger 51. The farmer installed a center pivot irrigation system, a radius arm with a span of 205’ and the crop sprouted in a perfect circle ending 20’ beyond the end of the span. Late one night under a full moon either pranksters or aliens entered the field and the next morning there were two flattened crop circles on the otherwise undamaged field. One had a radius of 35.0’ and the second 65.8’. Thinking that this was a chance to get on television and become famous, Farmer Roswell called the media. You are a reporter covering the story. What percent of Farmer Roswell’s alfalfa crop was damaged by the crop circles? Bonus question: Your journalistic career really takes off when you are the first to discover that the two crop circles near Hanger 51 approximate the ratio of the diameters of two planets in our solar system. Which two planets?


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