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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: sunshineclean on October 26, 2010, 10:57:36 PM

Title: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: sunshineclean on October 26, 2010, 10:57:36 PM
Where did I go wrong, I answered 151,200 which was wrong. Here is the question If your puppy is 3.5 months of age, how many minutes is this? Calculate for a month with 30 days (don't forget about significant figures).  Sorry I published this as a poll  originally, it was a mistake.
Title: Re: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: opti384 on October 26, 2010, 11:14:42 PM
Think step by step. Show what you did. And is this a chemistry? I think it's a simple math problem.
Title: Re: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: sunshineclean on October 27, 2010, 12:00:18 AM
This was on my chemistry quiz. Here is what I did:

24 hour x 60 minutes = 1440.00

1440 x 105 = 151,200.   3.5 months at 30 days per month = 105 days.

I thought this was pretty simple, but the correct answer is 150,000 minutes and I do not see how.

Actual lenght of a day from my researh is 23.56 hours, but that does not come out to the 150,000.

or did I miss the fact that it said significant numbers and I should of rounded down to 150,000.
Title: Re: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: rabolisk on October 27, 2010, 12:04:16 AM
Yeah, it's a simple case of sig figs. I don't like that this was on a chemistry quiz though, even if the point was to test dimensional analysis and significant figures. I prefer that they be tested in a chemistry problem...
Title: Re: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: sunshineclean on October 27, 2010, 12:26:20 AM
Thank you for the input, just a case of making something more complicated then what it really was.
Title: Re: Question on a Dimensional Equation.
Post by: Borek on October 27, 2010, 03:14:26 AM
Actual lenght of a day from my researh is 23.56 hours

That's sidereal day, used only in astronomy.