** Caution: EXTERNAL Sender **

I would agree with your rationale generally except for the 6.0 kg. If it were 
6,1 maybe but I've not seen pounds with a decimal. Unless of course they use 
ounces as well.

Mike Payne

On 15/09/2024 18:54, John Steele wrote:
I question the merits of an extensive debate over 3.2 cm vs 32 mm, and whether they are 
"different." The SI Brochure is silent on the issue of whether centimeters are bad (and 
in fact uses them in the document). Some people like them, some people hate them. As an engineer, I 
would 100%  write 32 mm; however, that is because of the extensive use in engineering drawings of 
millimeters (without the unit written) and the general note "all dimensions in millimeters 
unless noted." I recognize that as my personal preference (and the preference of my 
profession). I, personally, would only consider use of centimeters if an integer value suffices 
(height, clothing size, etc)

On the other point, conversion of 13 ¼ lb should be 6.0 kg, not 6 kg which is a significant 
reduction in precision vs the contemporaneous report (nearly 200 years ago). But worrying about 
precision in a nearly 200 year old accident report is like "how many angels can stand on the 
head of a pin" or "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."

Finally, assuming the tamping rod was measured to 43" length with reasonable 
precision, 1.09 m or 109 cm might be a better conversion, although 1.1 m is not 
unreasonable. If the precision is ½"or better, I would round to the centimeter and 
then decide how to express it.

On Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 10:32:02 AM EDT, Metricmike 
<metricmik...@gmail.com><mailto:metricmik...@gmail.com> wrote:


** Caution: EXTERNAL Sender **

Came across this discussion. What are the feeling of the USMA community?

https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FTalk%3APhineas_Gage%23Dimensions&data=05%7C02%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7Cb30cf0d91af24668365208dcd5b1c937%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C638620206775061172%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Cy%2FoYbn%2FXXs4kNm9QEkkiwNmxkHfQIgcxEh8phfQOQE%3D&reserved=0

Mike Payne

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