Frank Batten College of

Engineering &
Technology

Semester Updates
Final Project Details
Answers to Week 8 Assignment Problems
Reasonableness
Graphs in Engineering Communication
Assignment for next week
Semester Updates
Final Project Details
 Individual Short Report
 Team (2 members) Presentation
 Let’s check Bb
Week 8 – Practice Problem
The volume of water in a reservoir or aquifer is often
expressed using the unit of acre·foot. A volume of 1
acre·foot is the amount of water covering an area of 1 acre to
a depth of 1 foot.
Lake Mead, located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas,
NV, is the largest man-made lake in the US. It holds
approximately 28.5 million acre·feet of water behind the
Hoover Dam. How many gallons is this?
Solution
The volume of water in a reservoir or aquifer is often
expressed using the unit of acre·foot. A volume of 1
acre·foot is the amount of water covering an area of 1 acre to
a depth of 1 foot.
Lake Mead, located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas,
NV, is the largest man-made lake in the US. It holds
approximately 28.5 million acre·feet of water behind the
Hoover Dam. How many gallons is this?

 4047 m 2   1m   1000 L   0.264 gal 

28.5 x10 acre  feet 
6
  3     9.28 x1012
gal
 1 acre   3.28 ft   1m   1L 
Week 8 – Practice Problem
The power absorbed by a resistor can be given by P = I2R,
where P is power in units of watts, I is electric current in
amperes, and R is resistance in ohms [W]. Express the unit of
ohms in fundamental dimensions.
P
PI RR 2
2

Now replace everything with the units and work your way
down to the fundamental units.
Solution:
The power absorbed by a resistor can be given by P = I2R,
where P is power in units of watts, I is electric current in
amperes, and R is resistance in ohms [W]. Express the unit of
ohms in fundamental dimensions.
P
PI RR 2
2

Now replace everything with the units and work your way
down to the fundamental units.

 kg  m 
 s2  m 
J  N m   s
  kg  m 2 
W  s      
s 3 
kg  m 2
 s     
 2  2    
A A A 2
A 2
A 2
A  s3
Week 8 – Practice Problem
In China, one “bu” is 1.66 meters. The average
height of a human is 5 feet, 7 inches. Convert this
height to units of bu.
Solution:
In China, one “bu” is 1.66 meters. The average
height of a human is 5 feet, 7 inches. Convert this
height to units of bu.

 1m 
5 ft    1.52m
 3.28 ft 
 1 ft   1m 
7in     0.18m
 12in   3.28 ft 
This means the average human height is 1.7m

 1bu 
1.7 m    1.02bu
 1.66m 
Week 8 – Practice Problem
Which is the largest volumetric flowrate?
A. 10 centiliters per min [cL/min]
B. 1 cubic inch per second [in3/s]
C. 10 gallons per hour [gal/h]
D. 0.01 cubic yard per minute [yd3/min]
Solution:

Solution
A. 10 cL/min = 0.00167 L/s
B. 1 in3/s = 0.0164 L/s
C. 10 gal/h = 0.0105 L/s
D. 0.01 yd3/min = 0.127 L/s
Week 8 – Practice Problem
 In each of the following cases, a value of some desired
quantity has been determined in some way resulting in
a number displayed on a calculator. Your task is to
round each number to a reasonable number of
significant digits – up if a higher value is appropriate,
down if a lower value is appropriate

a. 4.36 gallons; amount of paint needed to cover a single room

b. 1484.2 miles; the distance from Tampa to New York to
estimate the amount of gas you need to purchase
c. 1613 lumens; the brightness of a light bulb
d. $20,144.52; cost of tuition, room and board at college this
year
Discuss – what did you choose and why?
Approximation Week 8
 How far (d) will a rock fall in 4.8 seconds if it’s initially
falling at 2 miles per hour?

 Use approximate input values

 5 seconds is easier to use than 4.8

 Gravity is 9.81 m/s2 so let’s just use 10 m/s2

 Use approximate equations
 Exact equation is

 Do we really need to use the exact equation? Let’s do a quick

estimation (imagine you don’t have a calculator)
Approximation

This is a calculation we
can do in our head
Parametric
 Oftenin design, we want to study a wide range of
input parameters and the corresponding range of
outputs. This is where spreadsheets, graphs, and
programing become very useful

 At what point does the initial velocity for a falling rock after 5
seconds become significant if a 15% error is deemed
acceptable?
 Let’s go to excel and set up a spreadsheet using the following
equation:
Parametric
Ideal Problem– Individual Activity
(attendance)
 Determine the mass of compressed air in a scuba diving
tank, given the following information:
 Internal volume of the tank is 10L
 Absolute pressure inside the tank is 20.8 MPa
 The temperature inside the tank is 20C.

Use the ideal gas law PV = mRT where

P = absolute pressure of the gas in Pa
V= volume if gas in m3
m = mass in kg
R = gas constant, 287 J / kg.K
T = absolute temperature in K
Last Class
Use of
Engineering
Paper
Use of Engineering
Paper
Same info as in previous slide, but
this scan may be more readable.

The purpose is to show you how to

present your results when solving
engineering problems.

Note the 3 defined sections:

- Given
- Find
- Solution

As well as the convention used:

- Left-side for diagrams/sketches
- Right-side for calculations
- Underline your answer
Solution in
Engineering
Paper
Follow the convention of
engineering paper use
(even if you are not using
engineering paper) to
present your results in a
neatly organized manner
that it is clear to follow,
and this will help you
study.

~ half of the class

response was
incorrect
(0.002473 kg)
Reasonableness
 Physically reasonable: Does the answer make sense
in light of our understanding of the physical situation
being explored or the estimates that we can make?

 You calculate the wingspan of a 300 person airplane is 1km

 1km = 1000m ≈ 3000ft = 10 football field lengths –
This does NOT make sense!?!

 You determine a sewage treatment plant for 10,000 people

must handle 100,000 lb of sewage a day. Is this reasonable?
1 gallon is about 8 lb, so 1.25 lb per person per day –
This does NOT make sense!?!
Reasonableness
 Reasonable Precision: Is the number of digits in the
answer appropriate based on the level of accuracy and
precision available to us in the parameters of the
problem or its purpose?

 The mass of an adult human riding on an elevator: 178.8 pounds

 The amount of milk needed to fill a cereal bowl: 1.25
cups
 The time it takes to sing Happy Birthday: 3.67 seconds
One Approach

 Sketch

 Observations or Objectives
 List

 Variables and constraints

 Equations

 Manipulation
Common shortcut mistakes

 “I
can probably find a good equation in the next
few pages”
 Maybe you read an example problem that looks similar. You
find one that looks good and use it.
 Is it applicable for this case? Were the same assumptions
made? How was it derived?

Don’t do this!!
Common shortcut mistakes

 “Ihate algebra, or I cannot do algebra , or I have

the numbers, so I’m going to substitute the values
right in”
 Many problems become much simpler if you are willing to
do a little algebra first. Also, you can often obtain a
general expression that you can apply to other problems
with new variables if you do a little algebra first.
 Doing a bit of algebra can often circumvent problems with
different sets of units (English and SI in same problem, ft
and inches in same problem, etc.)

Do some algebra!!

Common shortcut mistakes

 “It’s a simple problem, why do I need a sketch?”

 Even if you have photographic memory, you will need to
communicate with people who do not.
 It’s much simpler to sort out the various parts of a problem
if it’s staring you in the face

Draw pictures!!
Common shortcut mistakes

 “I
do not have time to think about the problem, I
need to get this stuff finished”
 Well, most often, if you take a deep breath and jot down
several important aspects of the problem, you will find it’s
much simpler to solve than you thought

Take your time!!

  Often the best way to do this is
through a picture
 A graph conveys a great deal of
information in a small amount of
space
Presenting Technical
 If not done properly it’s the worst
Data way to display information

 Done correctly it’s often possible to

explain a point in a concise and clear
Graphs manner that is impossible in any
other way
Graphing Terminology

 Abscissa – the horizonal axis (the “x” axis)

 Ordinate – the vertical axis (the “y” axis)
Graphing Terminology

 Independent variable
 The parameter that is controlled or whose value is selected
in an experiment
 Goes on the Abscissa

 Dependent variable
 The parameter that is measured corresponding to each set
of sues of the independent variable
 Goes on the Ordinate
Graphing Terminology
 When data sets given in tabular format the
leftmost column (or topmost row) is the
independent variable and the other columns (or
rows) are dependent variables

 Note: you can have multiple dependent variables

on one graph but typically only one independent
  The purpose of a plot is to
communicate information

 Using the proper plot rules is critical

to ensure the graph can be correctly
and easily interpreted

 A poorly formatted plot is useless!

Proper Plots
Proper Plots

 Label both axes clearly

 Three things are required unless information is unavailable:
 Category (e.g. Diameter)
 Symbol used (D)
 Units [m]
Proper Plots

 Select
scale increments (both axes) that are easy to
read and interpolate between
 With few exceptions, base your scale on increments of 1,2,
2.5 and 5
 You can scale each value by any power 10 as needed to fit
the data
 Avoid unusual increments such as 3, 7, 15, or 6.5
Proper Plots
 Provide horizontal and vertical gridlines
 Helps the reader determine actual numerical values form
the graph
 When minor gridlines are present, reader should be able to
easily determine value of each minor increment
 In which graph is it easier to determine abscissa value for
the blue dot?
Proper Plots

 Provide
a clear legend describing each data set of
the multiple data set shown
 Do not use a legend for a single data set
Proper Plots
 Show measurements as symbols
 Use a different symbol shape and color for each
experimental data set

 NEVER use yellow and other light colors – be aware of what it

will look like when photocopied in black and white
Proper Plots
 Show calculated or theoretical values as lines
 Use a different line type and color for each theoretical data
set
 Do not display symbols for calculated or theoretical values.
A symbol indicates an experimental measurement has been
made
Proper Plots

 Be sure graph is large enough to easily read

 Exampleof a proper plot, showing multiple
experimental data sets
 Example of a proper plot, showing a single
theoretical data set
 Example of a poorly constructed graph
Identify violations of proper plot rules in the
following experimental data plot
Identify violations of proper plot rules for the
following theoretical data plot
Identify violations of proper plot rules for the
following theoretical data plot
  There are many types of graphs in
excel

 As an engineer you will usually only

be concerned with a few of them

 Selecting the correct plot for the

data (and what you want to
communicate) is extremely important
Available Graph
Types in Excel
Scatter Plots
 Numerically represents 2-D theoretical or experimental
data, most common for scientific data

 Use a scatter plot to visualize your data

when you want to:
 Observe mathematical phenomena and relationships
among different data sets
 Interpolate or extrapolate information from data sets
 Determine a mathematical model for a data set using
trendlines
Line Plots
 Visualizes a 1-D set of theoretical or experimental data

 Use a line plot to visualize your data when

you want to:
 Display any evenly spaced data
 Visualize time-series data taken at even intervals
 Display categorical data (e.g., years, months, days of
the week
Column Graph
 Used for displaying various types of categorical data
 The y-axis increments are spaced evenly, but x-axis spacing has no
meaning since the items are in discrete categories

 Use a column graph to visualize your data

when you want to:
 Display any categorical data
 Observe differences between categories

 Note, a Bar graph is identical to a column

graph, with the x and y categories reversed
Pie Graph
 Is used on a single column or row on nonnegative numbers,
graphed as a percentage of the whole

 Use a pie graph to visualize your data when

you want to:
 Display categorical data as a part of a whole
 Observe differences between categories
  Often the best way to do this is
through a picture

 If not done properly it’s the worst

way to display information

 Done correctly it’s often possible to

explain a point in a concise and clear
manner that is impossible in any
Graph other way

Interpretation
  The shape of the line contains useful
information

 Understanding what they mean and

Meaning of Line how to describe them is critical when
communicating your results
Shapes
If the graph shows a…
 Horizonal line

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is not changing

 The slope (the derivative) is zero

If the graph shows a…
 Vertical line

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable has changes “instantaneously”

 The slope is “undefined” (infinite)

 If the graph shows a…
 Straight line, positive or negative slope, neither
horizontal or vertical

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is changing at a constant rate

 The slope is constant and nonzero

 If the graph shows a…
 Curved line concave up, increasing trend

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is increasing at an increasing rate

 The slope of the curve is positive and increasing

 If the graph shows a…
 Curved line concave down, increasing trend

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is increasing at a decreasing rate

 The slope of the curve is positive and decreasing

 If the graph shows a…
 Curved line concave up, decreasing trend

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is decreasing at a decreasing rate

 The slope of the curve is negative with a decreasing magnitude

 If the graph shows a…
 Curved line concave down, decreasing trend

…it means that the dependent variable …

 The variable is decreasing at an increasing rate

 The slope of the curve is negative with an increasing magnitude

Week 11 – Assignment, Problem 1
 There is a large push in the United States to convert from
incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs(CFLs).
The lumen [lm] is the SI unit of luminous flux (LF), a
measure of the perceived power of light. To test the power
usage, you run an experiment and measure the following
data. Create a proper plot of these experimental data, with
electrical consumption (EC) on the ordinate and LF on the
abscissa
 Week 11 – Assignment, Problem 2
 In researching alternate energies, you find that wind power is calculated
by the following equation

Where
 P = power [watts]
 A = sweep area (circular) of the blades [m 2]
 r = air density [kg/m3]
 v = velocity [m/s]

 The specific gravity of air is 0.00123 and the velocity is typically 35

meters per second.

 Create a graph of the theoretical power (P, in units of watts) as a function

of the blade diameter (D, in units of meters). Allow the diameter to be
graphed on the abscissa and vary from 0.5 to 1.5 meters.
Week 11 – Assignment, Problem 3

 Imagine you are in a small boat with a large and

heavy stone inside the boat. The boat is floating in
the pool in the rec center. What happens to the
level of the water in the pool if you throw the
stone overboard?
Assume no water splashes out of the pool or into
the boat.
Week 11 – Assignment, Problem 4

Potential Energy (PE) is a form of work done by

moving a weight (w) over a change in vertical
distance (delta H). Weight is mass (m) times gravity
(g).

1 Joule = 1 k.m2/s2
A 50-kg load is raised vertically a distance of 5m by
an electric motor. How much energy in Joules is
required to lift the load?

1 Joule = 1 k.m2/s2
 Week 11 – Assignment, Problem 5

 Calculatethe weight of gravel stored in a

rectangular bin 18.54 feet by 20.5 feet in a field in
Smithfield, VA. The depth of the gravel bin is 15
feet, the air temperature is 67ºF, and the density of
the gravel is 97 pound mass per cubic foot
Week 11 – Assignment, Problem X

 Beam Deflection Problem

 Parametric problem solving
 Watch units
 Watch significant digits
Week 11 – Assignment, Problem X