PHYS201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Abbreviation, Significant Figures, Vigesimal
17 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
The most widely used numerical system is decimal or base 10. The duodecimal base 12: egyptians divide the interval between sunrise and sunset into 12 parts using sundials (1500bc) Sexagesimal or base 60: the babylonians made astronomical calculations in the system inherited from sumerians (2000bc) Each measurement is associated with a physical quantity. Distance from earth to the sun = (cid:883). 5 (cid:883)(cid:882)11. Diameter of a period in a sentence = 5 (cid:883)(cid:882) 4. An intrinsic unchanging property of an object. A measure of the gravitational force acting on an object, which can vary depending on the o(cid:271)je(cid:272)t"s lo(cid:272)atio(cid:374) Any valid formula in physics must be dimensionally consistent. Each term in the equation must have the same dimensions. M k h da d c m n p f. Multiplication or division: the number of significance is equal to the number of significant figure in the least accurately known quantity.
