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Old 10-29-2011, 03:05 AM
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CaptainDoggles CaptainDoggles is offline
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There's no such thing as an exact value in engineering. EVERYTHING has a tolerance.
  • That hole you drilled? Only accurate to within ±1mm.
  • The elastic modulus of steel? It's a statistical range that depends on the microcrystalline arrangement of the atoms.
  • The shear stress of your wing spars? Depends on the cross-section which is not accurate because of tolerances in the manufacturing process.
  • Horsepower you get from fuel? Depends on chemical composition, which is again subject to tolerances and impurities introduced when it is refined and processed.
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