The article discusses unit conversion, a fundamental process in technical documentation and measurement. It outlines the systematic approach to converting measurements, including understanding unit relationships and applying conversion factors. The article provides an example of converting 5 meters to centimeters, demonstrating the step-by-step process. The key points are:
1. Unit conversion involves multiplying or dividing by a numerical factor while maintaining significant digits and rounding.
2. Dimensional analysis helps understand unit relationships and convert measurements.
3. Conversion factors are expressions that change measured units without altering the value.
4. The process requires identifying the starting and desired units, applying available conversion factors, and canceling units in the calculation.
5. The example shows converting 5 meters to centimeters by multiplying by 100 cm/m, resulting in 500 cm.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/metric-si/unit-conversion
Keywords: NIST, significant digits, conversion factors
