units(1)units(1)NAMEunits - conversion program
SYNOPSIS
file]
DESCRIPTION
converts quantities expressed in various standard scales to their
equivalents in other scales. It works interactively as follows:
System Prompt User Response
The system responds with two factors; one
used if multiplying
(preceded by the other if dividing (preceded by
After providing the conversion factors, prompts for the
next set of values. To terminate press the interrupt
character as defined for your login.
A quantity is specified as a multiplicative combination
of units optionally preceded by a numeric multiplier.
Powers are indicated by suffixed positive integers, and
division by the usual sign:
System Prompt User Response
The system responds with:
only does multiplicative scale changes;
thus it can convert Kelvin to Rankine, but
not Celsius to Fahrenheit. Most familiar
units, abbreviations, and metric prefixes
are recognized, together with a generous
leavening of exotica and a few constants of
nature including:
ratio of circumference to diameter
speed of light
charge on an electron
acceleration of gravity
same as
Avogadro's number,
pressure head per unit height of
water,
astronomical unit.
Units must be provided in lowercase only.
is not recognized as a unit of mass; is.
Compound names are run together, (e.g.,
British units that differ from their U.S.
counterparts are prefixed thus: For a com‐
plete list of units, examine the file:
An alternate unit database file can be
specified for use with the option. looks
in this file rather than the default for
the table of conversions. This must be in
the same format as This is useful in defin‐
ing your own units and conversions.
WARNINGS
The monetary exchange rates are out of
date.
FILESunits(1)
