If one trader sells apples at $1.00/kg and another at $1.20/kg, which is the more expensive? The one with the larger number associated with it.
Similarly, if one car uses 5 L/100km and another uses 6 L/100km, which is the more expensive? Again, the one with the larger number associated with it. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of STANLEY DOORE Sent: 28 January 2008 18:55 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:40269] Re: convenient numerical values The use of km/L is similar to the mpg used in the US. It avoids the need for a decimal point in L or the use of mL in the L/km expression.. If one runs out of gas and you know the distance you need to travel to the next fuel station, it's very easy to know how many L are needed. Stan Doore ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pierre Abbat" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 7:11 AM Subject: [USMA:40258] Re: convenient numerical values > On Sunday 27 January 2008 20:37, Ziser, Jesse wrote: > >> I'd like to offer another possible example of violation of the rule of >> thousands. I keep seeing L/100 km in fuel efficiency contexts. I also >> occasionally see km/L but it appears to be rarer. km/L is clearly more >> "thousandy", and also has the debatable advantage of being "distance per >> volume" just like MPG. Besides, "L/100 km" seems an awkward mouthful. >> Is >> this really the preferred unit? >> >> I'm thinking about getting metric mileage bumper stickers for my friends >> and family (most of whom I'm sure would enthusiastically accept and >> display >> them) and I was wondering if anyone had any other opinions on the km/L >> versus L/100 km issue. I've been unable to find much about it online. > > At least two of us agreed, the last time this came up, that the unit of > fuel > consumption should be the liter per megameter, or microliter per meter (or > cubic millimeter per meter if you wish to avoid "liter"). > > As to methods of averaging, the harmonic mean is a bit more abstruse than > the > arithmetic mean, but it comes up all the time in electric circuits. Every > little kid should know some reciprocals and be able to estimate a harmonic > mean. > > Pierre >
