5 ms·
FYI 2600 and 2.6k use the same number of characters.
by martyvis 2y ago
FYI 2600 and 2.6k use the same number of characters.
- Bootvis 2y agoIt doesn't mean the same though, 2.6k implies somewhere between 2550 and 2650 years ago and 2600 an exact number of years.
- kstrauser 2y ago2600 only has 2 significant digits. It's not an exact number.
- defanor 2y agoUnless the precision (resolution) is known (stated), it is unclear whether the trailing zeroes are significant or not, one may only guess (while such a guess looks reasonable in this case). A convention for writing that unambiguously is to avoid insignificant trailing zeroes: e.g., writing it as 26e2 or 2.6e3. Then the written number carries along its precision.
- golol 2y agoDoesn't writing out the trailing zeroes mean that you clain 4 significant digits? At least in the physics context.
- busyant 2y agoI think there are a few conventions for expressing sig digits. Where I was taught… 2600 has 2 sd 2600. Has 4 sd 2.6e3 has 2sd 2.60e3 has 3 sd Edit. If I had been in charge of setting sd rules, I would’ve said … 2600 has 4 sd 260? Has 3 sd 26?? Has 2 sd The fact zeros are overloaded (they can be placeholders or they can actually mean 0) is confusing to students.
- olddustytrail 2y agoThis reminds me of Andrew Scott Waugh, who surveyed the height of Mount Everest. He was sure his method was accurate to the nearest foot but he measured the height of the mountain at exactly 29,000 feet. Since he thought people would assume it was a rounded figure, he reported it as 29,002. And is therefore known as the man who first put 2 feet on the top of Everest.
- lostlogin 2y agoI’m pre coffee so go easy. How do I write the exact number 2600 if 2600 isn’t an exact number?
- zamadatix 2y agoIn contexts significant figures might be relevant, a bar over the last 0 or a decimal point at the end are the easiest methods of saying "no really, these 0s are the real deal". Though you have other options like scientific notation, an explicit uncertainty bound, or natural language context too https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_figures#Ways_to_denote_significant_figures_in_an_integer_with_trailing_zeros https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_figures#Ways_to_de...
- zos_kia 2y agoThat is intriguing I had never seen xk used in that sense. Is that a common convention?
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- rvba 2y agoPopular in finance. Often you dont need the details.
- timeon 2y agoI would guess that sentence: "that sank 2600 years ago" would imply that we are not talking about exact date. But more explicit word like: "that sank about 2600 years ago" would help. Using different number formatting instead of word or sign (~) is still implicit and not explicit.
- stevage 2y agoHas the advantage that you can't confuse it with 2600BCE.
- ramenbytes 2y agoCould use the electronics convention and save a character: 2k6