Re: [Phys-l] real-world problem

[brian whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

On 2/1/2011 6:06 PM, John Mallinckrodt wrote:
> brian whatcott wrote:
>
> > Those naughty entertainers describing a 40% radial mark when it is actually 40.4% ...  :-)
> Fair enough as far as that goes, but, of course, the difference Bob pointed to was one of principle and that difference isn't between 40.4 and 40; it is between 40.4 and 42.4.
>
> John Mallinckrodt

Ah, it's a question of principle is it?
Then I have to say ?WRONG!  to the idea of marking a dipstick at 42.4% 
of a radius of a fuel tank to represent a quarter volume.

Someone seems to have forgotten that the volume of the dipstick means 
that a HUGE correction to that 42.4% mark needs to be made, to obtain 
the desired result. My guess? A  0.002% error for a representative 
dipstick and tank.       tut..tut!    :-)

Brian W