UNIT CONSISTENCY AND CONVERSION
TERMS TO REMEMBER
DIMENSIONALLY CONSISTENT = this refers to the adding of two terms or equating only if they have the same units. Of course you should not add mass to length it’s different.
CONSISTENCY = agreement or harmony in parts or of different things; uniformity. If the unit is velocity the units must be displacement over time not any other quantity.
*****To understand this carefully here are some guide computations:
Problem 1:
1. Angelbert is 5 foot, 4 in. tall and weighs 55,000 grams. Express his height and weight in meter and kilogram, respectively?
Step 1: Write the given
Given:
Height = 5ft and 4in. Weight = 55,000g
Step 2: Choose your scale:
Scale for Height Scale for Weight
[12 in= 1 ft; 1 in. = 2.54; 1m =100cm] [1kg=1000g]
Step 3: Solution for height and weight
FOR HEIGHT
Convert 5ft to inch 5 ft x (12in/1ft) = 60 ft
Add 60ft to 4 ft 60ft + 4 ft = 64ft
Note: As you can see there is now a common unit that’s why additions is implemented
Convert 64 ft to cm 64ft x (2.54cm/1in) = 163 cm
Convert 163 to meter 163cm x (1m/cm) =1.63 m
FOR WEIGHT
Convert 55,000g to kg
55,000g x (1kg/1000g) = 55kg
