I invented a new unit of measurement
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I invented a unit of measurement called "feenches", short for "feet-inches". It's 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 foot. It's useful for measuring things like how much crushed stone you need for landscaping. For example, if I'm installing crushed stone to block weeds along a line, I measure the depth and width in inches, but the length in linear feet, e.g., 5 inches wide, x 6 inches deep, x 11 FEET long. To get feenches, just multiply all the numbers together, even though they're different units: 5 x 6 x 11 = 330 feenches.
Then, I apply a conversion factor of 0.0139 to change it to bags.
330 feenches x 0.0139 = 4.6 bags
That's how many bags I need to buy at Home Depot.
If I need a lot of material and will get delivery from landscaping supply, then the conversion factor is 0.000257 to convert to cubic yards (what suppliers colloquially call "a yard").
Just my 1/50th of a dollar.
Dog Hand
I happen to be on the Nobel Prize committee. Please look surprised when you are notified.Quote: MichaelBluejayI invented a unit of measurement called "feenches", short for "feet-inches".
In my life, I rarely think of a cubic ‘anything’.
Quote: DogHandAs a portmanteau of "foot" and "inches", perhaps "foonches" would be a better choice.
Just my 1/50th of a dollar.
Dog Hand
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I'm thinking of it as "feet-inches" rather than "foot-inches". Makes sense for both units to be plural (plural-plural), rather than different (singular-plural).
Of course, it's not really correct because the measurement is not really feet-inches, it's feet-inches-inches, so feenchinches would be more accurate, but that's cumbersome. It's like how landscape suppliers call a cubic yard just "a yard". The abbreviation isn't entirely accurate, but only pedants will care, and screw them.
Except all my tape measures are in feet/inches, and the landscape supply doesn't sell by metric units, they sell by cubic yards.Quote: unJonMetic makes the length to volume calculation easier as 1000 cubic centimeters is just a liter.
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Quote: MichaelBluejayExcept all my tape measures are in feet/inches, and the landscape supply doesn't sell by metric units, they sell by cubic yards.Quote: unJonMetic makes the length to volume calculation easier as 1000 cubic centimeters is just a liter.
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Yeah, and what if you have to go to the moon for something?
Indeed, if you're leaving this solar system, and you fail to use metric, your spacecraft will crash:Quote: AutomaticMonkeyQuote: MichaelBluejayExcept all my tape measures are in feet/inches, and the landscape supply doesn't sell by metric units, they sell by cubic yards.Quote: unJonMetic makes the length to volume calculation easier as 1000 cubic centimeters is just a liter.
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Yeah, and what if you have to go to the moon for something?
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https://www.simscale.com/blog/nasa-mars-climate-orbiter-metric/Quote: Google AIA major unit conversion error, specifically between the metric and English (imperial) systems, was the primary cause of the Mars Climate Orbiter's failure in 1999. NASA engineers used English units (pounds, inches, feet) while the ground software expected metric units (Newtons, meters, millimeters). This discrepancy led to incorrect trajectory calculations, causing the spacecraft to enter the Martian atmosphere at an incorrect altitude and ultimately fail.
Quote: MichaelBluejay(This isn't a math "question" but I didn't see where else to post it.)
I invented a unit of measurement called "feenches", short for "feet-inches". It's 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 foot. It's useful for measuring things like how much crushed stone you need for landscaping. For example, if I'm installing crushed stone to block weeds along a line, I measure the depth and width in inches, but the length in linear feet, e.g., 5 inches wide, x 6 inches deep, x 11 FEET long. To get feenches, just multiply all the numbers together, even though they're different units: 5 x 6 x 11 = 330 feenches.
Then, I apply a conversion factor of 0.0139 to change it to bags.
330 feenches x 0.0139 = 4.6 bags
That's how many bags I need to buy at Home Depot.
If I need a lot of material and will get delivery from landscaping supply, then the conversion factor is 0.000257 to convert to cubic yards (what suppliers colloquially call "a yard").
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That's called 12 cubic inches. There are (12*3)^3 cubic inches in a cubic yard.
(1) Duh.Quote: KevinAAThat's called 12 cubic inches. There are (12*3)^3 cubic inches in a cubic yard.
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(2) Good job on not bothering to read the replies before posting.
(3) Good job on missing the entire point.
*Every* unit of measurement can be described in terms of other units of measurement of the same type. If we didn't have the term "miles" and someone came up with it for convenience, you'd complain that we don't need it because we could just use the (awkward, inconvenient) 5280 feet.
Quote: MichaelBluejay(1) Duh.Quote: KevinAAThat's called 12 cubic inches. There are (12*3)^3 cubic inches in a cubic yard.
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(2) Good job on not bothering to read the replies before posting.
(3) Good job on missing the entire point.
*Every* unit of measurement can be described in terms of other units of measurement of the same type. If we didn't have the term "miles" and someone came up with it for convenience, you'd complain that we don't need it because we could just use the (awkward, inconvenient) 5280 feet.
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I read the replies. That doesn't change the fact that your re-invention of the wheel is a waste of time.
5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient. 12 cubic inches? Is it really that difficult? And since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
Why yes, yes there are! We can use Planck units!
https://units.fandom.com/wiki/Planck_units
To use them practically, just leave off and assume the exponent. So a pleter would be 1.616 meters, about 5'3"-5'4". A plarea would be 2.612 square meters, a plolume is 4.222 cubic meters, and so on.
Even redshifted, we can tell by the ratio of the atomic lines emitted by distant galaxies that atoms probably behave the same way everywhere in the observable universe, so once we are able to communicate our arithmetical and numerical conventions we can talk about physical quantities to ETs.
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyAren't there any units we can all agree upon?
Why yes, yes there are! We can use Planck units!
https://units.fandom.com/wiki/Planck_units
To use them practically, just leave off and assume the exponent. So a pleter would be 1.616 meters, about 5'3"-5'4". A plarea would be 2.612 square meters, a plolume is 4.222 cubic meters, and so on.
Even redshifted, we can tell by the ratio of the atomic lines emitted by distant galaxies that atoms probably behave the same way everywhere in the observable universe, so once we are able to communicate our arithmetical and numerical conventions we can talk about physical quantities to ETs.
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In honor of this forum’s love of pi, I would note there’s a real argument that the ET we find on the other side of the universe would prefer natural units that normalize to 4piG rather than to 1.
Quote: unJonQuote: AutomaticMonkeyAren't there any units we can all agree upon?
Why yes, yes there are! We can use Planck units!
https://units.fandom.com/wiki/Planck_units
To use them practically, just leave off and assume the exponent. So a pleter would be 1.616 meters, about 5'3"-5'4". A plarea would be 2.612 square meters, a plolume is 4.222 cubic meters, and so on.
Even redshifted, we can tell by the ratio of the atomic lines emitted by distant galaxies that atoms probably behave the same way everywhere in the observable universe, so once we are able to communicate our arithmetical and numerical conventions we can talk about physical quantities to ETs.
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In honor of this forum’s love of pi, I would note there’s a real argument that the ET we find on the other side of the universe would prefer natural units that normalize to 4piG rather than to 1.
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Ah, you must be one of those h/2π wiseguys!
All depends on how many tentacles they have. It's no coincidence the word "digit" can mean both a numeral and a finger. But if they are DNA-based I would bet that they see and do things mostly the way we do, just due to the real-world limits of the properties of the DNA molecule to store, transmit, and express information. If we find a different kind of molecule that can be used the same way we can extrapolate and predict what characteristics organisms based on that could have.
Again, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
Quote: MichaelBluejayAgain, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
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That's nice. Your posts are condescending and I really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement.
Quote: KevinAAQuote: MichaelBluejayAgain, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
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That's nice. Your posts are condescending and I really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement.
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He thinks he's special doesn't realize he is one of 8.2 billion.
Quote: rainmanQuote: KevinAAQuote: MichaelBluejayAgain, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
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That's nice. Your posts are condescending and I really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement.
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He thinks he's special doesn't realize he is one of 8.2 billion.
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This is what I like the best about this forum. Some of you guys are great at making me feel psychologically normal and socially acceptable. In the same way that going to a typical buffet makes me feel skinny. Keep up the good work!
Quote: AutomaticMonkeyQuote: rainmanQuote: KevinAAQuote: MichaelBluejayAgain, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
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That's nice. Your posts are condescending and I really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement.
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He thinks he's special doesn't realize he is one of 8.2 billion.
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This is what I like the best about this forum. Some of you guys are great at making me feel psychologically normal and socially acceptable. In the same way that going to a typical buffet makes me feel skinny. Keep up the good work!
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Having psychological abnormalities and being socially unacceptable must be tough I'm pleased I could help.
But since you're really trying to find the number of bags of stone for your job, just use ‘Bags’ as your new unit, and fix the formula.
Based on your text, a bag contains half a cubic foot.
Therefore, just multiply your two inch measurements by your foot measurement, then divide by 72.
Half a cubic foot is a square foot, 144 square inches, divided by 2. 72 cubic inches.
5 inches x 6 inches x 11 feet / 72.
5 * 6 * 11 / 72 = 4.5833 bags. Round up to 5.
—
Your post reminds me of one day ~50 years ago when I was watching my father do his month end paperwork for the small business he owned, and had lost his special tax multiplier, and was trying to figure it out.
Tax in NJ at the time was 5% and his business had no tax exempt sales. He normally multiplied the total deposit by the special number to find out the sales, then subtract to find out the tax.
I used a calculator for 2 seconds, I gave him the number he wanted: .95238
He was flabbergasted when I gave it to him, and it was the right number.
I then said, "Or you can merely divide by 1.05. That's an easy number to remember..."
Oh yeah, like your first comment being "That's called 12 cubic inches" (as though I didn't understand that) is *not* condescending, somehow.Quote: KevinAAYour posts are condescending...
Hypocrisy, much?Quote: KevinAAI really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement. link to original post
Also, you keep essentially advertising that you don't get the point while simultaneously criticizing the idea, what do you expect?
No, I've never heard of acre-feet.Quote: DJTeddyBearSounds like you recently heard that large quantities of water are measured in "Acre-Feet" and wanted to do something similar.
Well, a conversion value of 72 is a lot easier to remember than mine, so yeah, this is a superior way to do it.Quote: DJTeddyBearBut since you're really trying to find the number of bags of stone for your job, just use ‘Bags’ as your new unit, and fix the formula....
Therefore, just multiply your two inch measurements by your foot measurement, then divide by 72.
Yes, basic algebra, I've been dividing the total by (1+tax rate) for years.Quote:DJTeddyBear]I used a calculator for 2 seconds, I gave him the number he wanted: .95238
I'm also remembering that about 25 years ago when I did the financial training for the board of a directors of a student co-op housing group, I came up with the units "member-months", which was the number of members (~170) times the number of months in a year, equals about 200. The idea is it was that it was easy to figure that every $1 change in rent rates would be about a $2000/year change in the bottom line. e.g., $10/year rent increase/decrease = $20,000 change in budget. (Of course the caveat is that raising rent $100/mo. wouldn't mean an extra $200,000 a year, because if you raised rent that much then many people would choose to live elsewhere.)
Quote: MichaelBluejayNo, I've never heard of acre-feet.Quote: DJTeddyBearSounds like you recently heard that large quantities of water are measured in "Acre-Feet" and wanted to do something similar.
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(snip)
With the recent flooding in Milwaukee, one of the fun facts being passed around is that 1 inch of rainfall over the sewerage district works out to 7.1 billion gallons.
I'm sure there's a conversion to or from acre-feet.
Quote: rainmanQuote: KevinAAQuote: MichaelBluejayAgain, good job on missing the point. The 5280 = 1 mile was an EXAMPLE. Examples are extreme to better illustrate the point, but somehow you still didn't get it. It also somehow it escaped your attention that we have lots of units of measurement that are fairly close together.Quote: KevinAA5280 feet is a fairly large number, making one mile very convenient.
Exactly, clearly you don't get it, but I'm not gonna explain any further, since you've already made up your mind ("it's a waste of time") and getting you to see the point appears hopeless.link to original postQuote: KevinAAAnd since you have to convert that into cubic yards anyway, what's the point?
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That's nice. Your posts are condescending and I really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement.
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He thinks he's special doesn't realize he is one of 8.2 billion.
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Careful, guys, or he might block you… Whatever will you do then?!? 😉😎
Quote: MichaelBluejayOh yeah, like your first comment being "That's called 12 cubic inches" (as though I didn't understand that) is *not* condescending, somehow.Quote: KevinAAYour posts are condescending...
Hypocrisy, much?Quote: KevinAAI really don't care for your stupid new unit of measurement. link to original post
Also, you keep essentially advertising that you don't get the point while simultaneously criticizing the idea, what do you expect?
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You've written quite a bit in a condescending and arrogant manner in this thread. Let's review:
"... The abbreviation isn't entirely accurate, but only pedants will care, and screw them."
"(1) Duh."
"(2) Good job on not bothering to read the replies before posting."
"(3) Good job on missing the entire point."
"... you'd complain that we don't need it because we could just use the (awkward, inconvenient) 5280 feet."
And then there's what you wrote just in this post I'm quoting:
"as though I didn't understand that"
"Also, you keep essentially advertising that you don't get the point while simultaneously criticizing the idea, what do you expect?"
It appears that you suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. You have this whacked thinking that you're always right and anyone who criticizes your ideas is wrong.
Yeah, Kevin, because right out of the gate, you were arrogant with your very first comment. You can't start out like that and expect people to not respond in kind. And then when you use words like "stupid", you can't expect your targets to not be provoked.Quote: KevinAAYou've written quite a bit in a condescending and arrogant manner in this thread.
That was a joke, not directed at anybody in particular. Seriously, you interpreted it otherwise?Quote: KevinAA"... The abbreviation isn't entirely accurate, but only pedants will care, and screw them."
Here you go again. "Bluejay, the stupid narcissist, is mean!" The irony here is palpable.Quote: KevinAAIt appears that you suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Then you need to read a lot more carefully. For example, if you did you'd see that DJTeddyBear came up with a better way to convert to Home Depot bags and I readily acknowledged it.Quote: KevinAAYou have this whacked thinking that you're always right and anyone who criticizes your ideas is wrong.
1 yd = 27 cf = 54 bags = 3888 feench = 46,656 cubin
0.037yd= 1cf = 2 bags = 144 feench = 1728 cubin
0.0185 yd= 0.5cf = 1 bag = 72 feench = 864 cubin
0.000257 yd = 0.00694 cf = 0.0139 bags = 1 feench = 12 cubin
Somehow I tend think of conversion values as factors, meaning multiplication rather than division, but yeah, looking at my own table, the 72 was right there staring me in the face, but I overlooked it. For that matter, now that you set me on the division path, I can see that there are 3888 feenches in a cubic yard, so I could divide by 4000 and that's close enough. 72 and 4000 are easy values to remember.
When you have inches x inches x feet
Multiply all three numbers together, then:
• divide by 12 to get bags (assuming 0.5 cf per bag)
• divide by 4000 to get a rough approximation for cubic yards (3888 if you want to be exact)
When you have inches x feet x feet
(1) Option 1: inches ÷ 12 x feet x feet = cubic feet. Then:
• Your cubic feet x 2 = number of bags
• Your cubic feet ÷ 27 to get cubic yards
(2) Option 2: inches x feet x feet. Then:
• The result ÷ 6 = number of bags
• The result x 324 to get yards.
I'm familiar with it, and I know how calculators work, I've written several online calculators myself. It's also not a solution. On my last project where I was working I couldn't get Internet to load a calculator, and Quikrete's calculator forces you to enter your units in square feet, which, as I explained, is not how I measure for a line of decomposed granite. Inches x Inches x Feet ÷ 72 is the easiest and simplest way to go, much as some don't want to believe it.Quote: rainmanhttps://www.quikrete.com/calculator/main.asp link to original post
Quote: MichaelBluejay(This isn't a math "question" but I didn't see where else to post it.)
I invented a unit of measurement called "feenches", short for "feet-inches". It's 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 foot. It's useful for measuring things like how much crushed stone you need for landscaping. For example, if I'm installing crushed stone to block weeds along a line, I measure the depth and width in inches, but the length in linear feet, e.g., 5 inches wide, x 6 inches deep, x 11 FEET long. To get feenches, just multiply all the numbers together, even though they're different units: 5 x 6 x 11 = 330 feenches.
Then, I apply a conversion factor of 0.0139 to change it to bags.
330 feenches x 0.0139 = 4.6 bags
That's how many bags I need to buy at Home Depot.
If I need a lot of material and will get delivery from landscaping supply, then the conversion factor is 0.000257 to convert to cubic yards (what suppliers colloquially call "a yard").
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So how many feenches is 1 foot by 1 inch by 1 inch?
How many feenches is 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch? Does feenches have to have 1, and only 1, measurement in feet?
How many feenches is 12 feet by 4 feet by 6 inches, so the size of a vegetable or garden bed?
1 foot x 1 inch x 1 inch = 1 feenchQuote: GenoDRPhSo how many feenches is 1 foot by 1 inch by 1 inch?
Yes. That's part of the definition.Quote: GenoDRPhDoes feenches have to have 1, and only 1, measurement in feet?
That's a cubic-inch, which is already a unit of measurement. But if you want to convert between feenches:Quote: GenoDRPhHow many feenches is 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch?
• 12 cubic inches = 1 feench
• 1 cubic inch = 0.8333 feenches
See the conversion table.
Once you have two measurements in feet, feenches is not the right unit of measurement to use. In your case, I would convert the 6 inches to 0.5 feet, then multiply all 3 numbers and get cubic feet. If the number of inches is 3, 4, or 6 then it's easy. For other inches you can still do it by punching in: inches ÷ 12 x first feet measurement x second feet measurement.Quote: GenoDRPhHow many feenches is 12 feet by 4 feet by 6 inches, so the size of a vegetable or garden bed?
There's a related unit of measurement used in lumber called board-foot, 1 foot x 1 foot x 1 inch. So, in your example, 12 x 4 x 6 = 288 board feet. The problem is that nothing besides lumber is sold in board-feet, certainly not soil for a garden bed.
Summary of useful calculations for yard materials
(assuming bags are 0.5 cf)
When you have inches x inches x feet
Multiply all three numbers together, then:
• divide by 12 to get bags (assuming 0.5 cf per bag)
• divide by 4000 to get a rough approximation for cubic yards (3888 if you want to be exact)
When you have inches x feet x feet
(1) Option 1: inches ÷ 12 x feet x feet = cubic feet. Then:
• Your cubic feet x 2 = number of bags
• Your cubic feet ÷ 27 to get cubic yards
(2) Option 2: inches x feet x feet. Then:
• The result ÷ 6 = number of bags
• The result x 324 to get yards.
I'll add these to the conversion table above.
Quote: MichaelBluejayI'm familiar with it, and I know how calculators work, I've written several online calculators myself. It's also not a solution. On my last project where I was working I couldn't get Internet to load a calculator, and Quikrete's calculator forces you to enter your units in square feet, which, as I explained, is not how I measure for a line of decomposed granite. Inches x Inches x Feet ÷ 72 is the easiest and simplest way to go, much as some don't want to believe it.Quote: rainmanhttps://www.quikrete.com/calculator/main.asp link to original post
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You just need one more detail to be taken care of- packing theory in finite volumes! How much rock you can actually fit in your furrow is going to have a dependency on the ratio of the size of the rocks to each dimension of the furrow, the shortest dimension being most significant. And once it is "full" you will be able to fit more, as long as they are smaller rocks that can fit in the voids. It's a very non-continuous effect.
Captain Queeg illustrated this (as a negative example) in The Kaine Mutiny, when he used sand as a proxy for strawberries and assumed the number of scoops of sand to fill a gallon container would be the same as the number of scoops of strawberries. But in reality he could fill the container with strawberries, and still have room for plenty of sand, probably equivalent to the volume of strawberries he claimed were stolen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edQy5jBxhV8
