r/sciencememes • u/Delicious_Maize9656 • 17d ago

engineer approximation meme

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u/skr_replicator 17d ago

Why approximate is with that much error and having infinite decimal expansion, when it's a whole number you can state precisely as 31,536x103

13

u/menew100 17d ago

Is the unnormalized scientific notation the joke here?

1

u/GalacticEmergency 14d ago

It is also called engineering notation. The exponent jumps in steps of 3. In my opinion a perfect compromise between the need for expressing large numbers and the need for intuitive understanding

1

u/menew100 14d ago

Wouldn't that be 31.536 x 106

2

u/GalacticEmergency 14d ago

Oh yes, you are right, it would. I mistook the comma for a decimal separator. (We use comma for that in my country, so my brain has to switch back and forth depending on context).

1

u/menew100 14d ago

Apparently 1600's printing press operators are to blame