.\"
.\" Sccsid @(#)units.1	1.5 (gritter) 10/11/03
.\" Derived from units(1), Unix 7th edition:
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.if n .ds / /
.if t .ds / \z/\h'\w'*'u'
.TH UNITS 1 "10/11/03" "Heirloom Toolchest" "User Commands"
.SH NAME
units \- conversion program
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B units
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I Units
converts quantities expressed
in various standard scales to
their equivalents in other scales.
It works interactively in this fashion:
.PP
.I "	You have:"
inch
.br
.I "	You want:"
cm
.br
.I "		* 2.54000e+00
.br
.I "		\*/ 3.93701e\-01
.PP
A quantity is specified as a multiplicative combination of
units optionally preceded by a numeric multiplier.
Powers are indicated by suffixed positive integers,
division by the usual sign:
.PP
.I "	You have:"
15 pounds force/in2
.br
.I "	You want:"
atm
.br
.I "		* 1.02069e+00"
.br
.I "		\*/ 9.79730e\-01"
.PP
.I Units 
only does multiplicative scale changes.
Thus it can convert Kelvin to Rankine, but not Centigrade to
Fahrenheit.
Most familiar units,
abbreviations, and metric prefixes are recognized,
together with a generous leavening of exotica
and a few constants of nature including:
.PP
.nf
	pi	ratio of circumference to diameter
	c	speed of light
	e	charge on an electron
	g	acceleration of gravity 
	force	same as g
	mole	Avogadro's number
	water	pressure head per unit height of water
	au	astronomical unit
.PP
.fi
`Pound' is a unit of
mass.
Compound names are run together, e.g. `lightyear'.
British units that differ from their US counterparts
are prefixed thus: `brgallon'.
Currency is denoted `belgiumfranc', `britainpound', ...
.PP
For a complete list of units, `cat /usr/5lib/unittab'.
.SH FILES
/usr/5lib/unittab
.SH NOTES
Don't base your
financial plans on the currency conversions.