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← HistoryWhich navigational outcome improved accuracy when multiple lunar distance observations produced differing time calculations in the 1760s?
A)Averaging observations using least squares✓
B)Discarding outliers based on celestial position
C)Prioritizing data near solar eclipses
D)Applying corrections derived from lunar phase
💡 Explanation
When lunar distance observations disagreed, averaging the data using the method of least squares introduced improved accuracy because it minimizes overall error by finding best fit. Therefore averaging produces a more reliable time estimate rather than arbitrarily discarding points or relying on isolated events like eclipses, which least squares does not require.
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