lingo

=Common lingo=

Units, Conversions, Scientific Notation and -yes!- Significant Figures, plus Scalars and Vectors for good measure
No doubt you are infused with the importance of using (SI) units and already use scientific notation so well that you use it when ordering coffee -"one 5.00 times ten to the minus two litres of your dark roast, please". Similarly with your appreciation of significant figures that you role your eyes when you read on your Huffington Post App that there were "100,000 thousand people gathered for the demonstration", for surely they mean 1 x 10⁵ people (I know, some people would argue that 100,000 means that, if you want 100,000 to 5 sig figs it should read 100,000. but I find that too strange ... and what do you do when it comes at the end of a sentence -there is a reason why we have scientific notation!).

However, perhaps as a refresher, I ask you all to be familiar with the following Khan Academy videos: Unit Conversion Scientific Notation and you can find some more examples if you need here Scientific Notation Examples Significant Figures is a particularly nice video, which continues with these More on Sig Figs (you may skip this one if you comfortable with it), Sig Figs when multiplying and dividing, Sig Figs when adding and subtracting, and in case you have time a nice reminder of Sig Figs and pure number.

We shan't forget the oh-so importance of scalars and vectors, though I imagine you need to refresher on this. But if you do, then here is a video on Vectors and Scalars.

I will have some exercise sheets for you to pour over on Monday morning first thing to ensure we are all using the same language.

Enjoy, Arno Dirks.