THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Places full stones with equal gaps between stones only. Remaining end space is not distributed automatically.
Start with your inputs
Enter path length (m), stone length (m), gap (m). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Path length (m) | 5 |
| Stone length (m) | 0.4 |
| Gap (m) | 0.2 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, whole stones fitting is 8. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
Putting the example numbers into the formula
Whole stones fitting
floor(((5)+(0.2)) ÷ ((0.4)+(0.2))) = 8
Used length (m)
max(0,floor(((5)+(0.2)) ÷ ((0.4)+(0.2))) × (0.4)+(floor(((5)+(0.2)) ÷ ((0.4)+(0.2)))-1) × (0.2)) = 4.6
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Whole stones fitting | 8 |
| Used length (m) | 4.6 |
How this is calculated
Whole stones fitting
floor((a+c) ÷ (b+c))
Used length (m)
max(0,floor((a+c) ÷ (b+c)) × b+(floor((a+c) ÷ (b+c))-1) × c)
Symbols and units
- a
- Path length (m)
- b
- Stone length (m)
- c
- Gap (m)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Calculation steps and notation
floor(x) rounds down towards negative infinity.
max(x, y, …) selects the largest value.
Assumptions and limits
Places full stones with equal gaps between stones only. Remaining end space is not distributed automatically.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Whole stones fitting; Used length (m). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Places full stones with equal gaps between stones only. Remaining end space is not distributed automatically.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
Read the quality report →