GEEN 1312 REPRESENTATION

OF TECHNICAL
INFORMATION

21/01/24
 Objective

 Recognize the importance of collecting, recording, plotting and

interpreting technical data for engineering analysis and design.

 Apply Methods for graphical presentation of scientific data and

graphical analysis of plotted data

 Graph data using uniform and nonuniform scales

 Apply methods of selected points and least squares for

determining the equation that gives the best fit line to a given
data.

 Determine the most appropriate family of curves (linear, power

or exponential) that gives the best fit to the given data.
 Graphical presentation of scientific data

 Required when calculated or

experimental results are
recorded in tabular form.
 Rapid and accurate
determination of
relationships than when
looking at tables
 Visually easier to compare
variables, rates of change
or relative magnitude
Legend
Graphical analysis of plotted data
 Correct and accurate interpretation of data
 At times, visual impression is not sufficient so the
determination of a mathematical model is required.
 Software for recording and plotting data

 Computers with their power, versatility, and

speed are changing the way we collect,
record, display and analyze data.
 Programs such as Mathematica, Matlab and
Mathcad are powerful tools
 Software provides methods of curve fitting
An example using Excel

Height Temperature Pressure

0 59 14.7
1000 55 14.2

2000 52 13.7

3000 48 13.2

4000 44 12.7

5000 41 12.2

6000 37 11.8

7000 34 11.3

8000 30 10.9

9000 27 10.5

10000 23 10

11000 19 9.7

12000 16 9.3
 70 16
60 14
y = -0.0005x + 14.575
50 12

Pressure, P, Ibf/in2
10
Temperature, T, F

40
8
30
6
20 4
y = -0.0036x + 58.802
10 2
0 0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000
Height, H, ft
 Collecting and recording data

 Manual entry
 Computer-assisted techniques
Manual entry

 Usually collected from experiment work

 Use Formal data sheets or lab notebooks
 Record all information about the equipments
used
 Organize data in a tabular form
 Construction of the appropriate graph
 Computer-assisted techniques

 Use developed equipment to automatically

sample experimental data for analysis (data
logging)
 An example: the flight data collected onboard
the aircraft could be entered directly into a
computer.
 Common application, unattended weather
station recording (such as wind speed/
direction, temperature, relative humidity,
solar radiation).
 General graphing procedures

 Select type of graph paper( rectangular,

semi-log, log-log)
 Choose proper location of the horizontal and
vertical axes
 Determine the scale units (range)
 Graduate and calibrate the axes using the
1,2,5 rule.
 Plot points
 Draw the curve
 Add title and include other notes
 Darken lines
Graph paper

rectangular
Semi log
Log log graph
 How to get graph paper

 Buy it
 Free from the internet: some websites offer
you a print for any graph paper you require.
Eg www.printfreegraphpaper.com
 General graphing procedures

 Axes location and breaks

 Scale graduations, calibrations and
designations: 1,2,5 rule
 Axis labeling
 Point-plotting procedure
 Curves and symbols
 Titles
 Computer-assisted plotting
Steps when using computer-assisted plotting

 Enter or import data into spreadsheet

 Select axes
 Select appropriate graph (style or type)
 Produce trial plot
 Examine origin, range, graduation and
calibration, use rule 1,2,5
 Label axes and symbols and legend (key)
 Create complete title
 Examine plot and store the data
 Plot or print the data
 Empirical functions

 Functions based on values obtained by

experimentation
 Mathematical expressions can be modeled to
fit experimental data
 Can be categorized into linear, exponential,
power and periodic
 Empirical functions

 Linear, such as y = mx+b

 Exponential, y = b emx, ,log y=mxloge+logb
 Power, y = bxm , log y=mlogx+logb
 Periodic, like sine function
 Curve fitting

 Also called straight line approximation

 Approximation methods used to arrive at the
best possible fit “straight line”
 Two methods commonly used:
Method of selected points
Method of least squares (most accurate) and
usually done with computer
 Empirical equations: Linear

 Basic equation is y = mx + b
 ‘m’ is the slope of the line
 b is a constant
 Example: the velocity of a car is measured
at specified times as in shown in the table.
Determine the equation of a straight line.
Time, t,s 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Velocity V, 24 33 62 77 105 123 151 170 188

m/s
 Procedure

 Plot the data on graph paper

velocity of car versus time

200
velocity, v, m/s

150

100

50

0
0123456789
111
012
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
time, t, s
 Procedure

 Select two points on the line say, A(10,60)

and B(35,165)
 Substitute points A and B into V=mt+b
60=m(10)+b (1)
165=m(35)+b (2)
 Solve for m and b, m=4.2 and b=18
 The line equations is V=4.2t+18
 Verify result through other points on graph
 Empirical equations: power curves

 Example: a solid object is dropped from a tall

building and time versus distance are:
time t, s Distance s, m

0 0

1 4.9

2 19.6

3 44.1

4 78.4

5 122.5

6 176.4
Power curves

 Plot the data on linear graph

Object falling

200

150
distance s, m

100

50

0
0 2 4 6 8
time t,s
Power curves

 From the plot, the family of curves has the

general equation y = bxm
 selected points method can only be used on
straight line. Mathematically the equation can
be modified by taking log on both sides
log y = m logx + logb
 It suggests that if logs of all table values of x
and y are determined and plotted on linear
paper then the line would likely to be straight
 Notice that log 0 is undefined and remaining
logs of data as in table:
time t, s Distance s, m log t log s

0 0
1 4.9 0000 0.6902
2 19.6 0.3010 1.2923
3 44.1 0.4771 1.6444
4 78.4 0.6021 1.8943
5 122.5 0.6990 2.0881
6 176.4 0.7782 2.2465
 log s vs log t

2.5

2
1.5
log s

0.5

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
log t
 Since the graph is straight line then the
method of selected points can be applied on
the equation
log s = m log t + log b
 Two points may be used say A(0.2,1.09)
and B(0.6,1.89)
 Substitute A &B values in general equation
above:
1.09 = m(0.2) + log b
1.89 = m(o.6) + log b , solve for m and b
 m = 2.0 and b= 4.9
 From the general equation s = 4.9 t 2.0
 or s = ½ g t2 , where g = 9.8m/s2
 An alternative and quicker method can be
used by plotting the data on log-log paper as
straight line will be obtained, and select two
points then solve for m and b to get the
general equation representing the data.
 Exponential curves

 Similar to the procedure applied to power

curves.