>Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 11:55:33 -0500 >From: "Van E. Neie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Sig Figs, et al >Sender: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]: Forum for Physics Educators" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Reply-to: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]: Forum for Physics Educators" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >My original posting about the significant figure problem was not meant to >imply that we need to teach significant figures in a rigorous way--just try >to get students to become aware of limitations. My favorite story: A >farmer was asked about an unusual rock formation near his home. He said the >rock was "twenty-million and three years old." Asked how he could be so >sure, he replied that a geologist told him it was twenty million years old >and he was here three years ago! > >See the Physics Teacher this month about how 98.6 degrees got to be the >official body temperature. > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- >Van E. Neie [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Dept of Physics PH: (765) 494-5511 >Purdue University FAX: (765) 494-0706 >1396 PHYS Bldg >W. Lafayette, IN 47907-1396 > >"There ain't no rules around here! We're trying to accomplish something!" > --Thomas Alva Edison >
