Knowing how to convert units of speed is a crucial skill in various fields, from physics and engineering to everyday life. This guide will walk you through the process of converting 100 feet per second (ft/sec) to miles per hour (mph), explaining the steps clearly and providing context for understanding the conversion.
Understanding the Conversion Factors
The key to converting units lies in understanding the relationships between them. We need to know how many feet are in a mile and how many seconds are in an hour.
- Feet to Miles: There are 5280 feet in one mile.
- Seconds to Hours: There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour, meaning there are 3600 seconds in an hour (60 x 60 = 3600).
The Conversion Calculation
Now, let's perform the conversion:
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Start with the given speed: 100 ft/sec
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Convert feet to miles: We multiply by the conversion factor (1 mile / 5280 feet):
100 ft/sec * (1 mile / 5280 ft) = 100/5280 miles/sec
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Convert seconds to hours: We multiply by the conversion factor (3600 sec / 1 hour):
(100/5280 miles/sec) * (3600 sec / 1 hour) = (100 * 3600) / 5280 miles/hour
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Simplify the expression:
(360000) / 5280 = 68.18 miles/hour (approximately)
Therefore, 100 ft/sec is approximately 68.18 mph.
Practical Applications and Further Considerations
This conversion is useful in various contexts:
- Physics and Engineering: Converting units is essential for calculations involving speed, velocity, and acceleration. Understanding these conversions is critical for accurate problem-solving.
- Transportation: Converting between different units of speed helps in comparing speeds of vehicles or objects across different measurement systems.
- Everyday Life: While less frequent, knowing how to perform this type of conversion can be helpful in understanding speed limits or comparing the speeds of different moving objects.
While we've rounded the final answer to two decimal places, the exact result is a repeating decimal. The level of precision required depends on the specific application. For most purposes, 68.18 mph is sufficiently accurate.
Conclusion
Converting 100 ft/sec to mph involves a straightforward process of applying appropriate conversion factors. By understanding the relationship between feet and miles, and seconds and hours, we can accurately convert between these units of speed. This knowledge is valuable in various fields and situations, highlighting the importance of unit conversion in problem-solving and practical applications.
