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I am receiving unknown units of speed from another system. I must divide the value by 32 to get meters per second. What units do I use to refer to the values I'm receiving? Is there any such unit? Is this just random malice from the previous developers? Google give me nothing.

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2 Answers 2

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Given that if you divide your numbers by 32, you get a speed in meters per second, that means that the unit for the speeds you are being given is $\frac{1}{32}\mathrm{\frac{m}{s}}$. There's no standard name for this unit, but that's not a problem. People use unnamed, nonstandard units all the time. In fact, that's how all our current units got started. A meter was originally defined to be a pretty much arbitrary distance, and the only reason it now has a name and is so widely used is that a bunch of people all agreed to call this particular arbitrary distance a "meter."

If it bothers you to be using a unit without a name, you can give it one. Just make a note somewhere that, say

$$1\text{ Dave} = \frac{1}{32}\mathrm{\frac{m}{s}}$$

and then you can write that your speeds are measured in Daves.

Here's another post on the nature of units that is, if not directly relevant to you, at least closely related.

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  • $\begingroup$ I like how you name the unit after yourself. $\endgroup$ Aug 24, 2017 at 0:31
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    $\begingroup$ I didn't. The unit is named after the original poster of the question. $\endgroup$
    – David Z
    Aug 26, 2017 at 4:38
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Dividing by 32 is equivalent to shifting by 5 bits in binary. This number probably comes from some digital hardware which uses a fixed point binary representation for the velocity.

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes, that is what's happening. I was just wondering why and what to call it. Thank you. $\endgroup$
    – Dave
    Apr 10, 2012 at 22:09

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