Dimensional Analysis/Math

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Hi! I started this forum because I need to learn dimensional analysis for biology and chem. I am stuck with this whole process, However, I am going to become a nurse so I need to learn it.I have looked at some sites including youtube and I am still lost but not as lost when I first started researching the topic. I am creating this site so that I can ask general math questions and hopefully get the help from my allnurses family to help me solve them step by step also if others can post questions and solve step by step it will be very helpful so lets start with this how many feet is in 10 yards? And from here can everyone keep them going as I am a visual learner.

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3ft in 1 yrd. So 30 ft in 10 yrds. 3:1 ratio

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3ft in 1 yrd. So 30 ft in 10 yrds. 3:1 ratio

ok I understood that but what do you mean by 3:1 ratio and how would you do it with dimensinal analysis?

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Maybe this site will help: Dimensional Analysis

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There is 3 ft to every 1 yrd. 3:1 ratio.

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I never used dimensional analysis. It is just a method that complicates ratios to me. Then again, I'm not a nurse either. Im a math/physics grad. Hit me up if you need any help with homework (chem, physics, math..not nursing hw obv lol).

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

1 yard = 3 feet

You can write this as a fraction such as 1 yard/3 feet or 3 feet/1 yard. You use this fraction in your dimensional analysis to cancel out the units you don't need until you arrive at what you're looking for.

So, let's try to figure out how many centimeters are in 10 yards?

1 yard = 3 feet, 1 foot = 12 inches, 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

10 yards x (3 feet/1 yard) x (12 inches /1 foot) x (2.54 cm/ 1 inch) = 914.4 cm

Try working it backward...how many yards are in 914.4 cm?

914.4 cm x (1 inch/2.54 cm) x (1 foot/12 inches) x (1 yard/3 feet) = 10 yards

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So pretty much there is some measurements I need to know to narrow down the problem

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1 yard = 3 feet

You can write this as a fraction such as 1 yard/3 feet or 3 feet/1 yard. You use this fraction in your dimensional analysis to cancel out the units you don't need until you arrive at what you're looking for.

Okay I kinda sorta understood this

So, let's try to figure out how many centimeters are in 10 yards?

1 yard = 3 feet, 1 foot = 12 inches, 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

10 yards x (3 feet/1 yard) x (12 inches /1 foot) x (2.54 cm/ 1 inch) = 914.4 cm

Try working it backward...how many yards are in 914.4 cm?

914.4 cm x (1 inch/2.54 cm) x (1 foot/12 inches) x (1 yard/3 feet) = 10 yards

Ok I Kinda understood this a little better but what if it does not give you a starting point like what if the question is something like ounces are in a quart

And also is it that you need to know some metric conversions to even be able to do the problem in order to cancel out to get to what you want

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Yes, you are going to need to memorize a few conversion factors. You'll obviously need all the metric conversions. I was never asked ounce to quart conversions in med math. The most we had to know was teaspoons per mL and how many mL in a tablespoon. Plus pounds per kilogram. You might want to see if your school offers a med math workshop. If you are struggling with this, it would be worth the time & investment in it.

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can anyone recommend a good med math book or flash cards that ill have problems that I can solve to help me with conversions as weel as dimensional analysis

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
can anyone recommend a good med math book or flash cards that ill have problems that I can solve to help me with conversions as weel as dimensional analysis

"Calculation of Drug Dosages" by Ogden is great! It walks you through all the problems and has TONS of practice exercises & quizzes. All answers are included in the back, so you can check your answers to make sure you're doing them right.

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