On 2007 Oct 3 , at 3:26 PM, Pierre Abbat wrote:
3. Make a compaction graph. The masses are in grams, the mold is
1/30 cubic
foot, ....
I'm guessing that one of the things you are required to do is
calculate densities. You could convert all the data to metric at the
start. Or you could just calculate the densities by dividing the
masses as given (in grams) by the volume of the mold as given (in
cubic feet) and get the answers in grams per cubic foot (g/ft^3).
Plot the data on the graph in g/ft^3. If the prof doesn't seem mind a
god-awful mixture of units in the problem, he shouldn't be concerned
about seeing the same god-awful mixture in your solution.
Of course that doesn't solve your problem of preferring everything in
metric, but it does save you work. And maybe it shows the stupidity
of using mixed units in the first place. (And maybe that's what he
wants!)
You need to know (and this comes from a retired physics teacher with
with 40+ years teaching under his belt) that a student needs to learn
TWO things in each class. He or she needs to learn (1) what's correct
for his or her own understanding and (2) what the teacher wants. They
are not always the same. I've told this to many of my students and
even to my own children and grandchildren.
And it may not be all bad!
Sometimes that's the way the world works and learning to cope with
people who do things the hard way (or even the wrong way) is
something we need to learn. You may be learning it in that class.
Regards,
Bill Hooper
Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
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Make It Simple; Make It Metric!
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