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UNIT 1 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION, METRIC, SIGNIFICANT FIGURES, ROUNDING, DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

Scientific Notation - an alternate way of writing numbers, usually with very large or very small numbers; generally scientific notation is NOT used when expressing temperatures, money, molecular masses and pH.. Scientific notation consists of TWO parts: (1) a mantissa which is a positive or negative number between 1 and 10 (think of the number line -10___________-1 and +1__________+10; all of the numbers within this range can be a mantissa, and the mantissa may be a whole number or a decimal mixed number.) and (2) a characteristic which is a whole number exponent to which the base 10 is raised. Given the number 103 , the 3 is the characteristic)

Correct scientific notation WILL ALWAYS HAVE BOTH PARTS (a mantissa and a characteristic) EVEN IF THE CHARACTERISTIC IS ZERO. To convert a normal number to scientific notation, move the decimal in the number either to the left or to the right until you have a number whose absolute value is between 1 and 10; count the number of places the decimal had to be moved and this is the characteristic. To decide whether the characteristic is positive or negative, look at the original number--if the given number is smaller than 1 (a decimal number), the characteristic will be negative; if the given number is larger than 1, the characteristic will be positive. REMEMBER A POSITIVE CHARACTERISTIC MEANS THE NUMBER IS LARGER THAN 1, AND A NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTIC MEANS THE NUMBER IS A NUMBER LESS THAN 1 (DECIMAL NUMBER, NOT A NEGATIVE NUMBER). This is a much better way of assigning an algebraic sign to the characteristic rather than trying to make a rule such as if you move the decimal to the left, the characteristic will be positive and if you move the decimal to the right, the characteristic will be negative. If the original number is a negative number, be sure to tack the negative sign back on the original number after you have moved the decimal to get a correct mantissa. When converting a number to scientific notation, the mantissa should ALWAYS CONTAIN ALL TRAILING ZEROS if the number contains a decimal, but you MAY DROP LEADING ZEROS.

Sample: To convert 159.0 to scientific notation, you must move the decimal two places to the left to obtain a mantissa of 1.590 (a number between 1 and 10). Since the original number was a large number, the exponent will be positive. Therefore, 159.0 converted to scientific notation becomes 1.590 X 102. Sample: To convert -0.00634 to scientific notation, you must move the decimal three places to the right to obtain a mantissa of 6.34 (absolute value of number between 1 and 10). Since the original number was a small number, the exponent will be negative, and be sure to put the negative sign back on the mantissa. Therefore, -0.00634 converted to scientific notation becomes 6.34 X 10-3 Practice 1: Convert the following numbers to scientific notation ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ 1. 17600.0 2. 0.00135 3. 10.2 4. -67.30 ___________________ ___________________ 5. 4.76 6. - 0.1544

______________________7. 301.0 ___________________ 8. -0.000130

To expand scientific notation to regular or normal notation, look at the characteristic. If it is positive, move the decimal in the direction which will make the given number a LARGE number. If it is negative, move the decimal in the direction which will make the given number a decimal number (less than 1) SAMPLE: To expand the scientific notation of 8.02 X 10-4 to regular notation, you must move the decimal four places in a direction which will make the mantissa four decimal places smaller. Therefore 8.02 X 10-4 expands to 0.000802 SAMPLE: To expand the scientific notation of -9.77 X 105, you must move the decimal five places in the direction which will make the absolute value of the mantissa five decimal places larger. Therefore -9.77 X 105 becomes -977,000 Practice 2: Expand the following scientific notation to regular notation _______________ 1. 4.96 X 10-2 ________________ 2. 5.50 X 104 _________________3. -9.3 X 10-3 _________________4. -8.37 X 101 _____________ 5. 7.01 X 100 ______________ 6. 5.61 X 10-3 ______________7. 4.92 X 102 ______________ 8. - 9.23 X 10-1

To correct INCORRECT scientific notation to CORRECT scientific notation, look at the absolute value of the mantissa and decide if it must be increased or decreased to become a number between 1 and 10. Count how many places the decimal must be moved. If you must INCREASE the mantissa, then the characteristic must be DECREASED by the same number of decimal places. Remember to count 0 as a place when you go from a positive to a negative characteristic If you must DECREASE the mantissa, the characteristic must be INCREASED the same number of places. Remember to count 0 as a place when you go from a negative to a positive characteristic. If the mantissa is negative originally, be sure to remember to add the negative sign back to your corrected mantissa HINT: Be particularly careful when increasing or decreasing NEGATIVE characteristics! THINK! THINK! If you DECREASE the value of 10-3 by two decimal places, your new value will be 10-5. If you INCREASE the value of 10-4 by three decimal places, your new value will be 10-1. SAMPLE: To correct the incorrect scientific notation of 955 X 108 to correct scientific notation, you must decrease the value of the mantissa by two decimal places to have a number between 1 and 10, so you must increase the value of the characteristic by two decimal places. Therefore the incorrect 955 X 108 becomes 9.55 X 1010 SAMPLE: To correct the incorrect scientific notation of 9445.3 X 10-6 you must decrease the absolute value of the mantissa by three decimal places to have a number between 1 and 10, so you must increase the value of the characteristic by three decimal places. Be sure to put the negative sign back on the mantissa. The incorrect 9445.3 X 10-6 thus becomes 9.4453 X 10-3 Practice 3: Correct the following incorrect scientific notation to correct scientific notation ___________________ 1. 36.7 X 101 ____________________2. -0.015 X 10-3 ____________________3. 75.4 X 10-1 ____________________4. -14.5 X 102 ____________________ 5. 0.123 X 104 _____________ 6. 97723 X 10 -2 _____________ 7. 851.6 X 10-3 _____________ 8. 94.2 X 10-4 _____________ 9. -0.012 X 103 _____________10. 966 X 10-1

How to multiply numbers in scientific notation, (1) MULTIPLY the mantissas (2) algebraically ADD the characteristics and (3) correct the result to CORRECT scientific notation if necessary SAMPLE: To multiply 4 X 10-3 by 3 X 104, the result would be 12 X 101, which when corrected to correct scientific notation becomes 1.2 X 102 Practice 4: Multiply the following numbers and express the answer in correct scientific notation ____________________ 1. ( 2 X 104 ) (3 X 10-3) _____________________ 2. ( 5 X 10-3 ) times ( 4 X 10-4 ) _____________________ 3. ( 6 X 104 ) X ( -7 X 10-5) _____________________ 4. ( -4.5 X 10-2 ) ( 2 X 10-7)

How to divide numbers in scientific notation, (1) DIVIDE the mantissas (2) SUBTRACT the characteristic of the denominator from the characteristic of the numerator and (3) correct the result to CORRECT scientific notation if necessary. SAMPLE: To divide 7.2 X 10-4 by -8 X 105, the result would be -0.9 X 10-9 which when corrected becomes -9 X 10-10 Practice 5: Perform the following divisions of scientific notation ______________________1. ( 8 X 10-5 )divided by ( 2 X 10-3) ______________________2. divide ( 4 X 103 ) by ( 8 X 10-3) ______________________3. 6 X 10-7 3 X 10-8 _____________________ 4. Divide 4.5 X 104 by 9.0 X 10-12 ______________________ 5. Divide (2 X 103)(4 X 10-2) by (6 X 10-9)(4 X 105) Optional: To add and subtract numbers in scientific notation, THEY MUST FIRST
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HAVE THE SAME CHARACTERISTIC How to add or subtract numbers in scientific notation: (1) incorrect the mantissa (and adjust the characteristic) of all numbers so that they all have the same characteristic. (2) add the mantissas together (3) write the characteristic the same as all numbers are expressed in (4) correct the scientific notation if necessary SAMPLE: Add the following numbers in scientific notation and express your answer correctly (1) (2) (1.64 X 10-2) + (3.78 X 10-3) = ( 4.77 X 10-2 ) + ( 2.13 X 10-4 ) = (2.018 X 10-2) (4.7913 X 10-2)

(Hint: if you "incorrect" the number with the smaller exponent to make it match the larger exponent, you will not have to "correct" your final answer and will save yourself a step) USING YOUR CALCULATOR, the TI 30X IIS (1) ON turns the calculator on. 2nd OFF turns it off and clears the display. You access the functions listed ABOVE each of the keys by pressing the yellow 2nd button first and then the key where the function is listed above it. APD (Automatic Power Down) turns the calculator OFF automatically if no key is pressed for 5 minutes. Press ON after the APD and the display, pending operations, settings and memory are retained. The first line of the display is the Entry Line, and it displays the mathematical equation you have entered (up to 88 digits). Use < button or > button to scroll this line. The second line of the display is the Result Line, and it will display an answer to your mathematical problem up to 10 digits plus a decimal point, a negative sign or the 10x power. (2) You may clear everything on the display by pressing the CLEAR button at any time you wish. If you are in the middle of a calculation and wish to clear only the last number(s) you entered, press the DEL key and the numbers will be deleted one at a time. SAMPLE: Enter the number 1234567. Oops! you meant to enter 1235568. Press DEL four times and the 7, 6, 5, and 4 disappears on the display. Now finish entering the correct number by pressing 5,5 6 and 8.

(3) This calculator will display your results in (1) decimal notation (2) floating point notation, (3) scientific notation and (4) engineering notation The default function on this calculator is floating point notation. This means all digits which can fit into the Result Line will be displayed, and the decimal point will move around. To get to the default setting press 2nd and SCI/ENG (over the DRG key). FLO will be underlined which means your answer will be displayed in floating point notation. To change the display to Scientific Notation, press 2nd SCI / ENG and use the > button to underline SCI and press ENTER. We will never use Engineering Notation. SAMPLE: Set your calculator on Scientific Notation and enter the number 235.774. Press ENTER. The display should say 2.35774 X 1002 Clear your calculator and enter this problem: 23.567 X 5.122. Press ENTER (=). Your answer should be 1.20710174 X 1002 To change this answer to floating point notation, press 2nd SCI / ENG again and left < button to underline FLO. Press ENTER and the display should read 120.710174. (4) To set the number of decimals you wish to be displayed in your answer, press 2ndand FIX (over the decimal button). Use the < button or > button to underline the number of decimals you wish to be displayed in your answer. SAMPLE: Change your display to floating point by pressing 2nd and SCI / ENG and underlining FLO. Press 2nd and FIX and underline F. Clear your calculator and enter this problem. 33.18 X 0.4552 =. Your display should read 15.103536. Now press 2nd and FIX again and use > button to underline 2. Press ENTER and your display should show 15.10. Press 2nd and FIX again and use > button to underline 5. Press ENTER. Your display should now show 15.10354. Set your calculator on Scientific Notation by pressing 2nd SCI / ENG and underlining SCI. and ENTER. Your display should now show 1.51035 X 10 01 . (5) You have 5 memory locationsA, B, C, D, and E. STO > allows you to store values to a specified memory. 2nd RCL allows you to recall your answer from the memory location you specified. SAMPLE: Set your calculator on Scientific notation, 4 decimals and do this problem:

1.2345 X 99.876 = Your display should read 1.2330 X 1002 . Now press STO> and use the > button to underline C. Press ENTER. This answer has been put in the C memory. Clear the calculator by pressing CLEAR. Now press 2nd RCL and underline C. The value you stored shows on the Result line. If you press ENTER, the calculator defaults to floating point notation of this answer and if you press ENTER again it will display both the floating point and the scientific notation of this stored value. 2nd CLRVAR will give you a choice of which of the memory locations you wish to clear. SAMPLE: Store the number 12 in A; store the number 34 in B; store the value 56 in C; store the value 78 in D and store the value 90 in E. Now clear your calculator. Press 2nd CLRVAR and underline C. Press ENTER. Now press 2nd RCL C and see what is stored in C. It should show 0. (6) The (-) key changes the sign of any number in the display. If you are entering a negative number in a calculation, you must press the (-) key BEFORE you enter the number. The calculator will take care of the correct algebraic sign for answers of calculations. All you must do is enter the numbers with the correct algebraic sign in the display. SAMPLE: Set your calculator on floating point, 4 decimal places and do the following problems: (a) 47.30 + -9.761 + -19.32 + -24.31 = (b) (8.51) (-62.4) (-0.0713) = = (display should read -6.0910) (display should read 37.8620) (display should read 24.4679) (display should read 1548.3999)

(c) divide -533.4 by - 21.8 (d) -37.41 times -41.39 =

(7) To enter numbers in scientific notation into your calculator, use the EE key which is a 2nd function key located over the X-1 key. . To enter the number 9.32 X 105, first press in the mantissa of 9.32; now press 2nd and EE key and then enter the characteristic of 5. Notice that you did not EVER use the multiplication (X) key nor the number 10 even though this is the way you say it--9.32 times 10 to the 5th. If you have a negative mantissa, use the (-) key to

change the sign of the mantissa before you enter the number. If you have a negative characteristic, use the (-) before you enter the exponent. SAMPLE: (a) Set your calculator on scientific notation, 3 decimal places and do the following problems: 9.44 X 103 times 1.42 X 10-2 = = (display should read 1.340 X 1002) (display should read -6.469 X 1014) (display should read 8.165 X 1001)

(b) (-7.31 X 10-1) (8.85 X 1014) (c)

divide 4.54 X 10-7 by 5.56 X 10-9 =

Your calculator will handle results up to 1099 and as small as 10-99 After this, it will show ERROR and you must handle it by hand (remember how?). (8) Fractional calculations can display fractional or decimal results. Results are automatically simplified. A b/c enters a fraction. Press A b/c between whole number, numerator and denominator, but all must the positive integers. 2nd FD converts between fractions and decimals. 2nd A b/cd/e converts between mixed numbers and simple fractions. SAMPLE: To enter the fraction 2 2/3, press 2 A b/c 2 A b/c 3. The display shows 2 2 3 Now press 2nd A b/cd/e and ENTER. The display shows 8/3. Press 2nd ,A b/cd/e and ENTER again and the display shows 2 u 2/3. Now press 2nd, FD and ENTER. The display shows 2.667 X 100 . Now press 2nd F D and ENTER again. And the display changes the decimal number back to a mixed fraction. (1) Multiply 4 1/7 by 2.3/4 and express your answer in a decimal. (= 1.139 X 101 ) (2) Multiply 0.25 X 2/3 and express your answer as a fraction. To express this answer as a decimal number, use 2nd FD. (= 1/6). (= 3.66 X 10-1) (=1.094 X 101)

(3) multiply 1 2/3 by 6 9/16 and express your answer as a decimal.

(4) divide 7 divided by 4 2/3 and express your answer as a mixed number. (display says 4 u 2/3. What does this mean?) (9) To square a number, use the x2 key. If you wish to square the number 37, press in 37, then x2 and then ENTER. To find the square root of a number press 2nd and the number. ENTER. SAMPLE: Set your calculator on scientific notation, 4 decimal places.
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(a) (b) (c)

What is the square root of 116.554? 346.82 =

(= 1.0796 X 101) (= 1.2027 X 1005) (= 6.0964 X 1003)

( square root of 39.2213) times ( 31.22) =

If you are not getting this answer, look at your equation line and notice that when you press the square root key it opens a parenthesis for you. Manipulate the cursor arrows until you place your cursor right after the last 3 in the number 39.2213. Press 2nd and INS (insert) and put in a right parenthesis. What your calculator understood you wanted to do was take the square root of the quantity 39.2213 times 31.22 , and now you have told it to take the square root of 39.2213 only and then multiply it by 31.22. Notice that your calculator WILL NOT find the square root of a negative numberit does not handle imaginary numbers. You will just get an error message. (10) To raise a number to a power other than 2, use the yx key. If you wish to raise the number 7.5 to the 4th power, press in 7.5, then yx , then 4 and ENTER. To find the root of a number, you will use the 2nd function over the raise to a power button (x button) which is the xth root of button . . In order to take the cube root of 200 press in 3, then 2nd , then 200 and ENTER. SAMPLE: Set your calculator on floating decimal notation, 4 decimals, and answer the following questions (a) What is the 7th root of 1001? (b) Multiply the 4th root of 31.1 by the cube root of 178 ( 2.6831) ( 13.2840)

(c) Divide 5.6 raised to the 6th power by the 5th root of 10 000 (4887.9658) (d) (3.43 X 107)5 (e) 8.65 X 102 times the cube root of 555 Does 1.433 mean the same as 1.43 X 103? (4.7476 X 1037) (7108.5404)

Why or why not?

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SAMPLE: Work the following problem on your calculator (35.4)(678.112)(-4.997) -------------------------------(13.4)( 7.443)

You may work this type of problem one of three ways: (1) multiply the numbers together in the numerator, then press and then open left parenthesis, 13.4 x 7.443, close right parenthesis, and ENTER. Or Or (2) multiply the numbers together in the numerator, then 13.4 and 7.443 and ENTER. (3) multiply the numbers in the denominator together and store the result in a memory. Clear the calculator, multiply the numbers in the numerator together, press and RCL Memory location and ENTER.

Practice 6: Work the following problem on your calculator: (1.43 X 10-14) ( 5.22 X 107) (3.27 X 10-1) ---------------------------------------------------------(6.45 X 108)( 7.2 X 10-8) (1.16 X 105) Practice 7: Work the following problem on your calculator. [ ( 334.5 ) (744.3)4 (0.00235)3 ]4 ------------------------------------------------[ ( 7711.44 ) (28.9)3 (1.54)6]2 = =

Practice 8:

Work the following problem on your calculator (35.556)( 0.4417)2 (322) --------------------------------------------------[( 5 567) + ( 3 442)]2 =

You must be able to recognize and count significant digits. There are basically two rules about what a significant digit IS and IS NOT: (1) all non-zero digits are ALWAYS significant, regardless of whether they occur before or after a decimal point. For example: 446 is 3

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significant digits; 44.6 is also 3 sig. figs and (2) zeros have three different rules

0.446 is also 3 sig figs.

(a) zeros at the beginning of numbers (leading zeros) are NEVER significant. They are place holders only! For example, 0.678 is 3 sig figs; 0.0033 is 2 sig figs; 0.0004366 is 4 sig figs; (b) zeros between non-zero digits (captive zeros) are ALWAYS significant. For example, 706 is 3 sig figs; 711.004 is 6 sig figs; 30405.0066 is 9 sig figs (c) zeros at the end of numbers (trailing zeros)are only significant if there is a decimal point in the number or at the end of the number. For example, 760 is 2 significant figures, but 760. is 3 significant figures. 760.0 is 4 significant figures. The population of Arlington is approximately 280,000 is 2 significant figures. Practice 9: Tell how many significant digits are in each of the following numbers: ____________1. 114.0 ____________2. 733.02 ____________ 3. 0.000310 ____________ 4. 9.080 ____________ 5. 4.50 X 103 ____________6. -23.40 ____________7. 60 040 ____________8. -0.0004010

In order to round your answers correctly, you must realize there are actually TWO rules that you must follow--one rule of rounding for problems that are multiplication or division and a completely different rule of rounding for problems that are addition or subtraction. To round answers of multiplication or division problems, you must count significant digits given in the data. The rule is to round your answer to the LEAST NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT DIGITS given in the data. When determining significant digits, DO NOT count numbers which indicate the root you are extracting, numbers which are exponents or numbers in fractions if they appear in the data. SAMPLE: Work the following problem on your calculator and round your answer correctly: (4.51)(3.4) = 15.334 is the calculator answer. To round it correctly, count the number of sig figs in each of the given data--3 in the 1st number and 2 in the 2nd number, so therefore, the LEAST number of

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significant digits given in the data is 2 and your answer must be rounded to EXACTLY 2 significant digits, no more, no less. The correct answer to the above problem is 15 (2 sig figs) or if you wish to express your answer in scientific notation, 1.5 X 101 (also 2 sig figs) Count two significant figures from the beginning of the number, and your cut is going to occur exactly at the decimal point in this case. Before you simply throw the cut part of this number away, look at the number to the immediate right of the cut. If this number is 5 or greater, you must raise the last number you plan to retain by 1; if the number to the immediate right of the cut is less than 5, you will leave the last number retained exactly as it is. SAMPLE: Divide 0.006750 by 32 and round your answer correctly. The calculator answer is 0.000210938 etc.; the least number of sig figs given in the data is 2; the correctly rounded answer to the problem is therefore 0.00021. If you wish to express your answer in scientific notation, the correct answer is 2.1 X 10-4 (also 2 sig figs). SAMPLE: Multiply 278.4 by 25.2 and round your answer correctly. The calculator shows an answer of 7015.680 which is too many sig figs. However, when you decide to cut it to 3 sig figs, it will mean making a cut BEFORE the decimal point and YOU CANNOT DO THIS. The number must first be put in scientific notation and then a cut can be made. The answer in scientific notation is 7.015680 X 103. Now cutting this to 3 sig figs, your correct answer is 7.02 X 103. Would it be OK to make the answer 7020.? Would it be OK to make the answer 7020? (NO, this is 4 sig figs) (yes, this is also 3 sig figs)

Hint: If the cut occurs AT or WITHIN a decimal, you may simply make the cut, round your last digit and throw the rest away. If the cut occurs BEFORE the decimal, you must first put your answer in scientific notation and then make the cut and round the last digit retained correctly. Practice 10: Multiply 89.5540 by 43.1 and round your answer correctly: Practice 11: Divide 3388.01 by the cube root of 457.9 and round your answer correctly

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However, THERE IS DIFFERENT RULE TO FOLLOW AND YOU MUST SHIFT YOUR THINKING COMPLETELY IF YOU ARE ROUNDING AN ADDITION/SUBTRACTION PROBLEM. Addition/subtraction problems are rounded to the LEAST NUMBER OF DECIMALS given in the data. You do not count significant digits at all--count decimal places only. Practice 12: How many decimals are there in each of the following numbers? (1) ___________ 13.452 (2) ___________ 13.000 (3)___________145 (4)___________875.03

Practice 13: Solve the following problem on your calculator and round your answer correctly (based on decimal places, not significant figures). (a) 67.4432 + 3.07 + ( -245.21) - 2.9 =

Once you have decided where to make the cut in your answer, be sure to look at the number to the immediate right of the last digit you plan to retain. If this number is 5 or greater, round the last number you retain up 1. If this number is less than 5, retain the last digit just as it is. (b) -861.2 + 78.554 91.0045 + 0.0203 =

Probably in your lifetime, the United States will go on the metric system. There are several reasons why we should move in that direction: (1) we are the ONLY major nation in the world not using it (2) it would make international trade much easier and improve communication (3) it is a decimal system (like our money system) and must easier to use when you get accustomed to it, but it should be stressed that IT IS NOT A MORE ACCURATE SYSTEM. Our system of measurement is very accurate--it just requires a lot of memory because the English system has about 88 units which you need to memorize. The metric system has 3 units and 10 prefixes. Practice 14: List units of length in the American system

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The metric unit of length is the meter, abbreviated m Practice 15: List units of volume in the American system

The metric unit of volume is the liter, abbreviated L (should be a lower-case letter, but it is too often confused with the number 1, so we use the capital L for liter now) Practice 16: List American units of weight

The metric unit of weight (mass) is the gram, abbreviated g The prefixes which you need to memorize NOW are the following Prefix Tera Giga Mega kilo deci centi milli micro nano pico Abbreviation T G M k d c m n p Meaning S.N. equivalent

NO PREFIX IS EVER USED ALONE, IT IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO A UNIT OF SOME KIND.

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Practice 17: What is the metric abbreviation for each of the following? _____ (1) one-millionth of a gram ____ (2) one billion liters ____ (3) one-hundredth of a liter Practice 18: _____ (4) one thousand grams _____ (5) one-thousandth of a meter _____ (6) one million grams

What is the metric abbreviation for each of the following? _____ (4) 1 X 10-12 meters _____ (5) 1/10 of a gram _____ (6) 1/1 000 000 000 of a liter)

_____ (1) 1 X 103 grams _____ (2) _____ (3) 1 X 106 liters 1 000 000 meters

We will learn to use a very organized method of problem solving known as dimensional analysis--sounds impressive AND IT IS when you learn how to use it SAMPLE: If I asked you to convert 3 hours to minutes, every one of you would say immediately "180 minutes" because you knew "instinctively" what to do. However, if I asked you to convert 3.179 hours to minutes, you could not do it immediately in your head and would have to stop and think how your brain did the "easy" problem and then apply the same reasoning to the "harder" one. There are only two relationships which exist between minutes and hours: (1) 60 minutes / 1 hour (2) 1 hour / 60 minutes. Your brain takes the data given (3 hours) and multiplies it by one of the above fractions (either 60 min / 1 hour or 1 hour / 60 minutes) and it chooses the one which will cancel units when it is multiplied. This is the way it looks: (3 hours) 1 hour _ 60 minutes or (3 hours) 60 minutes 1 hour

ONE OF THESE WILL CANCEL UNITS OF HOURS WHEN IT IS MULTIPLIED AND THAT IS THE ONE YOU WILL CHOOSE TO USE. Solving problems in this way of arranging labels so that they can cancel out is known as DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS. Instead of writing fractions in parentheses beside each other and multiplying them, we are going to place them on a straight line dimensional analysis grid. SAMPLE: Convert 3.179 hours to minutes

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How to solve a problem using dimensional analysis. ________|_______ | (2) Put what is given in the UPPER LEFT corner of the grid (with label). 3.179 hrs|____ | (3) Whatever label is in the upper left corner must be copied diagonally to the lower right corner. This is arranging your labels correctly for canceling later. 3.179 hrs |____ | hr (4) Put the label of what you are converting TO in the UPPER RIGHT corner. 3.179 hrs | min | hr (5) Fill in a correct numerical relationship which exists between the 2 labels . 3.179 hrs | 60 min | 1 hr (6) Cancel any labels which appear both in the numerator and the denominator of the grid. (7) Multiply everything together that is above the grid line; divide by everything that is below the grid line. (8) Express your answer in the same number of significant figures as were given in the ORIGINAL problem. (9) BE SURE YOUR ANSWER HAS A LABEL. Hint: When using dimensional analysis to convert the metric system, a good rule of thumb to follow until you become more comfortable with using dimensional analysis and the metric system is to always put the "1" in front of the prefix (in whichever dimension the prefix istop or bottom) and then simply define that prefix in scientific notation in the other part of the dimension. Don't make rules about always putting the "1" on the top of the dimension or on the bottom because this will not work. SAMPLE: Convert 14.3 cm to meters. Practice 19: 14.3 cm | 1 x 10-2 meters | 1 cm = 0.143 m (1) Draw the dimensional analysis grid like this.

How many eggs are there in 13.0 dozen?

Now we are going to use dimensional analysis to convert the metric system units. Practice 20: Convert 378.4 cm to meters

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Practice 21:

Convert 4.32 X 10-4 g to micrograms

Practice 22:

How many picoliters are there in 4.56 X 10-7 liters?

Practice 23 : Convert 88.1 km to meters.

WHAT IF YOU NEED TO CONVERT FROM PREFIX TO PREFIX--HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE TO PUT THE "1"? (first, use one dimension to convert from the given prefix to just the plain unit, draw another dimension and then convert from the unit to the other prefix). Be sure to arrange things so that every label will cancel out except what you are looking for. SAMPLE : Convert 231 mm to nm. 231 mm | 1 X 10-3 m | 1 nm | 1 mm | 1 X 10-9 m

Practice 24: Convert 54.7 micrograms to kilograms

Practice 25: Convert 5.43 GL to dL.

Practice 26:

Convert 6.99 X 108 pg to cg.

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Practice 27:

How many micrometers are there in 45.2 kilometers?

You will use dimensional analysis to convert the metric system to the American system and vice versa. These are the American conversions I expect you to know 1 ton = = = = = pounds ounces feet inches feet or cups = = = = = = hours minutes seconds days pints quarts inches

1 pound 1 mile 1 foot 1 yard 1 pint = 1 quart 1 gallon 1 day 1 hour 1 minute 1 year

THERE ARE ONLY 3 METRIC TO AMERICAN CONVERSIONS TO MEMORIZE and you will be able to convert any units of length, volume and mass from one system to the other. They are: 2.54 cm = 1 inch = = 1 liter 1 pound (length) (volume) (mass)

1.06 quarts 454 grams

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SAMPLE: Convert 4.10 miles to millimeters 4.10 miles | 5280 ft | 12 in | 2.54 cm | ! X 10-2 meter | 1 mm | 1 mile | 1 ft | 1 inch | 1 cm | 1 X 10-3 m Practice 28: Convert 3.92 yards to picometers.

Practice 29: Convert 1.75 X 106 grams to ounces

Practice 30:

Convert 25.6 tons to mg.

Dimensional analysis also makes it easy to make conversions to "double" units such as miles/hour converted to km/sec. (1) Put the number and the TOP (numerator) label in the upper left corner of the DA grid (2) Put the bottom (denominator) label in the lower left corner of the grid. You may begin working with either one--just be sure to arrange labels diagonally so they will cancel. (3) Work until you get one of the labels to the unit you want. NOW YOU ARE THROUGH WITH THAT LABEL, SO JUST LEAVE IT ALONE AND BEGIN WORK ON THE OTHER ONE by arranging labels diagonally and filling in correct numerical equivalents in each dimension. SAMPLE : Convert 31 meters per second to inches per day 31 meters | 60 sec | 60 min | 24 hours | 1 cm | 1 inch sec | 1 min | 1 hr | 1 day | 1 X 10-2 m | 2.54 cm Practice 31: Convert 35 miles/hour to km/sec.

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Practice 32:

Convert 45.8 pounds/gallon to ng/microliter.

Practice 33:

Convert 1.023 X 107 pm/day to inches/sec.

Converting cubic units such as cm3 to in3 is a similar process, but you must be VERY CAREFUL about canceling units. SAMPLE : Convert 3.4 cm3 to ft3. (1) Write what is given in the problem in the upper left part of the grid, with label. 3.4 cm3 |______ | (2) Before you simply copy the cm3 label, stop and think! You do not know a single conversion which utilizes cubic units, so transfer just the "cm" label in the lower right corner and write just "inches in the upper right. 3.4 cm3 | in | cm (3) Go ahead and fill in the relationship which exists between centimeters and inches, 3.4 cm3 | 1 in___ | 2.54 cm (4) BUT SINCE THE LABEL THAT YOU STARTED WITH WAS CUBIC, YOU MUST CUBE THE ENTIRE DIMENSION (both number and label), TOP AND BOTTOM, in order to be able to cancel units. In this case it is necessary to cube MORE THAN ONE OF THE DIMENSIONS to get to the label you want, so don't panic. 3.4 cm3 | (1 in)3 | (1 ft) 3 3 | (2.54 cm) | (12 in)3 Practice 34: Convert 35 km3 to cubic feet.

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Practice 35: Convert 231.4 cubic yards to cubic millimeters.

In 1960, scientists all over the world decided to begin using a standard system of seven base units for all measurements. These are known as the SI Units (Le Systeme International d'Unites). These were meant to simplify our measurements because frequently there are duplicate units for measurements, such as the calorie, BTU, and Joule, which can be used to measure the same quantity. Using the SI units, there will be only ONE unit for a measurement. The 7 SI units are: length mass time temperature amount of substance electric current luminous intensity meter kilogram second Kelvin mole ampere candela

Notice that the liter is not listed as a unit of volume. Volumes will be expressed by cubic lengths, but we have not completely made the transition to using all of these units exclusively. The standards which are used to define the SI units which we will use are mass (measure of quantity of matter) kilogram--the only standard which is still defined by an artifact; it is a metal cylinder which is kept in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures at Sevres, France; called the International Prototype kilogram meter--defined in terms of the distance light travels in a vacuum in a given fraction of a second.

length (distance covered by a straight-line segment connecting two points.)

time (interval between two occurrences

second--defined in terms of electron transition in an atom; a very accurate timepiece is called a chronometer, solid-state digital timer or atomic clock

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temperature (measure of kinetic energy)

Kelvin defined as the same size degree as the Celsius degree--1/100 of the difference between freezing and boiling points of water; starts on the number line in a different place; there are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale; lowest temperature possible in the universe is 0 K.

Every measurement we make is a comparison of the physical quantity being measured with a fixed standard of measurement, such as the second or the centimeter. There are two words which describe these comparisons--accuracy and precision. Understand the difference between them! (1) ACCURACY - refers to how close a measurement is to the true or correct value for that quantity. If you shot an arrow at a target five times and hit the bulls' eye every time, you are VERY ACCURATE. The number 2.0 is a more accurate number than 2 because it is measured to one more decimal place. 2.00 is even more accurate, being measured to two decimal places. (2) PRECISION refers to how close a set of measurements for a quantity are to EACH OTHER. If you shot an arrow at a target and all of the arrows were in the outer ring close to each other, you are precise, but not accurate. This usually indicates an equipment error. This is the reason you adjust your scope on your gun or calibrate your balance before using it. SAMPLE : A student weighs a beaker and records its mass as 45.21 g. The actual mass of the beaker is 48.44 g. Is this student accurate? Precise? SAMPLE : Comment on the accuracy and precision of these basketball free-throw shooters: (1) 99 out of 100 shots are made (2) 99 out of 100 hit the front of the rim and bounce off (3) 33 out of 100 shots are made and the rest miss the rim completely or rebound off the backboard Sometimes you need to know the PERCENT your answer is in error and you also need to know whether it is TOO HIGH or TOO LOW. The equation to find % error is below. MEMORIZE IT! % error = experimental or observed value - actual or true value ------------------------------------------------------------------------------actual or true value. X 100

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Practice 36:

A student weighs a beaker and records its mass as 47.21 g. The actual mass of the beaker is 47.93 grams. What is the student's % error? (Hint: A negative sign on your answer means that your answer is that percentage TOO LOW. A positive sign on your answer means that your answer is that percentage TOO HIGH.)

To Solve problems with dimensional analysis: (1) Read the problem and write down ALL "double label" conversions given or implied. (2) Begin your dimensional analysis with anything in the problem which is NOT a double label conversion factor (3) Use each double label conversion factor your have written down only ONCE and arrange the conversions factors on the dimensional analysis grid so that the labels cancel out. SAMPLE: Apples sell for $.79 per pound. There are (on the average) 15 apples per 5-pound bag. How much would 20 apples cost?

The double label conversion factors in this problem are $.79/1 lb apples 20 apples | 5 pounds | $.79 | 15 apples | 1 lb Practice 37: What is the cost of 60 onions if 3 onions weigh 1.50 pounds and the price of onions is $0.15 per pound? (give your answer in dollars and cents and don't worry about significant figures in this problem.) 15 apples/5 pounds

Practice 38: The price of a ream of paper is $2.50. There are 500 sheets of paper in a ream. If a sheet of paper weighs 0.219 oz, what is the price per pound of paper? (give your answer in dollars and cents and don't worry about significant figures.)

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Practice 39: In a primitive barter society the following rates of exchange exist: 1 fot = 5 vum, 2 sop =3 tuz, 4 bef = 3 tuz and 9 fot = 2 bef. A man has 4 sop and wants to convert all of his possesions into vum. How many vum can he trade for?

Practice 40: The price of a dozen bars of soap at Neiman-Marcus is $38. If each bar of soap weighs 6.5 ounces, what is the price of the soap per pound?

Practice 41: If pecans sell for $3.00 per pound and there are 27 pecans per pound, how many pecans can you buy for $14.12?

Practice 42:

The price of a crate of Extra Large eggs is $26. Eggs sell for $0.95 per dozen and there are (on the average) 10 eggs per pound. How much does a crate of eggs weigh in pounds?

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