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Units of constants in a parabola?
The general equation for a parabola is y=ax^2+bx+c, where a, b, and c are constants. What are the units of a, b, and c if x and y are in meters?
I tried doing this by solving for a, b, and c individually and then figuring out the units that way but get bizarre units for b and c.
Thanks for your help!
5 Answers
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
a, b, and c are constants. (as you stated).
They are numbers with No units!
Source(s): PhD in Math - ?Lv 49 years ago
constants are just plain numbers. this is the general equation. The constants could be all kinds of numbers depending on the problem. For example, y=2x^2+8x+27 or y=82x^2+6x+1
Constants are just numbers in any type of math and they have no units when given just as equations like above.
- illLv 45 years ago
Not one of the above. For y to be in meters, the final unit of every time period on the right part of the equation will have to be in meters as a consequence if x is in meters the unit of a should be m^-1, b should be a dimensionless coefficient, and c must be in meters. Even though (a) could also be regarded as the right alternative, making use of m^zero to designate a dimensionless coefficient is unorthodox and could be misleading.
- ?Lv 69 years ago
all answers NONSENSE!
if x and y are in meters then in units; a = 1/m, c = no units, c = m
this is a basic physics issue, and a good way to check an answer in physics, the units
MUST be consistent
if anyone has a problem with this my email is numberdr@att.net
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