The Drake Equation is a useful tool in the fields of mythozoology, megabiology, and animal husbandry. This equation allows the field researcher to determine the practicalities and risks of observing dragons in the wild.
The Drake Equation states that:
| N | maximum number of successful dragon viewings a person might have in a dragon-infested area | ||
| R* | area where dragon-sightings have been reported (in square miles) | ||
| fp | number of princesses living in the region R* | ||
| ne | number of past dragon sightings in the region R* | ||
| fl | fraction of ne sightings that were made by known liars | ||
| fi | fraction of ne sightings that were made by idiots | ||
| fc | fraction of ne sightings that were imagined | ||
| L | average life expectancy (in hours) of a person who sees a hungry dragon. This term is always 0. |
Some controversy has arisen over the fp term. Some
researchers feel that this should be defined as the number of tasty livestock
per acre in R*.
The field researcher employing the Drake Equation should be aware that
dragons are always hungry.