Just a question for the group. Why measure?

If they told us in hint 3 that the chest is hidden 30-50ft off the trail why do we have to measure no less than 500ft and no more than 1000 meters to know when to step off the trail. Cause maybe I'm just dumb but doesn't that mean if you're on the right trail and the chest is hidden within a 90 minute hike hint 8 on the trail that somewhere along that up to 90 minute hike it's hidden 30-50 off of it and there's no point in measuring if you're on the right trail. I get that it would give you an exact spot to get off but just seems weird that that would be necessary. Unless it's tricky and there's only one way to get to the chest. I don't know I'm baffled.