Method of Repeating Variables

1. List all variables that are involved in the problem.

 Dependent variable: a measurable quantity that represents certain aspect of the
system.
 Independent variables: variables that have significant influence on the value of the
dependent variable. If any of the independent variables is omitted, the experimental
result will be very difficult to interpret.

This is the most difficult step of all. It requires a thorough knowledge of the process and of the
observed physical phenomenon.

2. Express each of the variables in term of the fundamental dimensions (mass, length, time,
current and etc.).
3. Determine the number of dimensionless variables using the Buckingham Pi Theorem.
4. Select the repeating variables where the number of these repeating variables equals to the
number of fundamental dimensions obtained from Step 2.
 The repeating variables can’t be the dependent variable.
 The repeating variables must contain all fundamental dimensions in the problem.
5. Form dimensionless term (Pi Term) by multiplying one of the non-repeating variables by the
product of the repeating variables.
 The non-repeating variable is raised to the power of 1.
 Each repeating variable is raised to an unknown exponent that will make the
combination dimensionless.
 Solve for these unknown exponents.
6. Repeat step 5 for each of the remaining non-repeating variables.
7. Check all resulting dimensionless terms (i.e., Pi terms) to ensure that they are indeed
dimensionless.
8. Express the final form as a relationship among the dimensionless terms and provide some
physical interpretations. When possible, express the dimensionless terms as combination of
well known dimensionless number.

Created by Dr. Tam C. Nguyen 1