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LecturePLUS Timberlake 1

Chapter 1

Measurements
Problem Solving Using Conversion
Factors/Dimensional Analysis
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Initial and Final Units
A person has a height of 2.0 meters. What is that
height in inches?
Initial unit = m Final unit = _______
1 m = 39.37 in
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How many minutes are in 2.5 hours?

Initial unit
2.5 hr
Conversion Final
factor unit
2.5 hr x 60 min = 150 min
1 hr

cancel Answer (2 SF)





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Learning Check
A rattlesnake is 2.44 m long. How long is the
snake in cm?

1) 2440 cm
2) 244 cm
3) 24.4 cm

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Solution
A rattlesnake is 2.44 m long. How long is the
snake in cm?
2) 244 cm

2.44 m x 100 cm = 244 cm
1 m

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Learning Check

How many seconds are in 1.4 days?

Unit plan: days hr min seconds

1.4 days x 24 hr x ??
1 day
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Solution CF2

Unit plan: days hr min seconds


2 SF Exact
1.4 day x 24 hr x 60 min x 60 sec
1 day 1 hr 1 min

= 1.2 x 10
5
sec
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Unit Check
What is wrong with the following setup?

1.4 day x 1 day x 60 min x 60 sec
24 hr 1 hr 1 min


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Unit Check

1.4 day x 1 day x 60 min x 60 sec
24 hr 1 hr 1 min


Units = day
2
/hr
2
Not the final unit needed

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Learning Check
An adult human has 4650 mL of blood. How
many gallons of blood is that?

Unit plan: mL qt gallon

Equalities: 1 quart = 946 mL
1 gallon = 4 quarts

Your Setup:

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Solution

Unit plan: mL qt gallon

Setup:
4650 mL x 1 qt x 1 gal = 1.23 gal
946 mL 4 qt
3 SF 3 SF exact 3 SF

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Steps to Problem Solving
Read problem
Identify data
Write down a unit plan from the initial unit
to the desired unit
Select conversion factors
Change initial unit to desired unit
Cancel units and check
Do math on calculator
Give an answer using significant figures
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Learning Check
If the ski pole is 3.0 feet in length, how long is
the ski pole in mm?




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Solution
3.0 ft x 12 in x 2.54 cm x 10 mm =
1 ft 1 in. 1 cm


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Learning Check
If your pace on a treadmill is 65 meters per
minute, how many seconds will it take for you to
walk a distance of 8450 feet?

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I nitial
8450 ft x 12 in. x 2.54 cm x 1 m
1 ft 1 in. 100 cm

x 1 min x 60 sec = 2400 sec
65 m 1 min
final (2 SF)
Solution

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