But at the same time, fractions are actually a better way to measure precisely. If you need to record a precision that’s greater than a whole unit without being 10x as precise, decimal kinda sucks. If your precision is 1/8 a cm, you either have to round up or imply that the precision is accurate to 0.001 cm.
You can always play with a denominator to show greater precision with fractional measurements (1/8 vs 2/16 vs 8/64), but you can’t easily imply lower precision with decimal.
I do not agreed that fractions are a better way of measuring small distances. Decimals can be broken down infinitesimally. I don’t see anything hard to understand about it, meanwhile fractions you have to like compare and contrast the denominators to find the values or break out some long division or a calculator. Fuck that.
How do you describe a measurement of 1 and a quarter of a centimeter precise to 1/4cm without either over-stating or under-stating precision of the measurement?
Decimal only allows you to increase or decrease precision by a factor of 10.
But at the same time, fractions are actually a better way to measure precisely. If you need to record a precision that’s greater than a whole unit without being 10x as precise, decimal kinda sucks. If your precision is 1/8 a cm, you either have to round up or imply that the precision is accurate to 0.001 cm.
You can always play with a denominator to show greater precision with fractional measurements (1/8 vs 2/16 vs 8/64), but you can’t easily imply lower precision with decimal.
I do not agreed that fractions are a better way of measuring small distances. Decimals can be broken down infinitesimally. I don’t see anything hard to understand about it, meanwhile fractions you have to like compare and contrast the denominators to find the values or break out some long division or a calculator. Fuck that.
Okay.
How do you describe a measurement of 1 and a quarter of a centimeter precise to 1/4cm without either over-stating or under-stating precision of the measurement?
Decimal only allows you to increase or decrease precision by a factor of 10.
You don’t need to use significant figures to convey precision. You can also explicitly state the uncertainty, like 1.25 ± 0.25 cm.
But even you don’t know how that works.
Because 1/4cm precision would be ± 0.125cm
Touché
If the Precision is necessary you just break up two decimal points, or however many to get it to where it has to be.