Dynamical Units

Abstract

MANY of the writers of letters on this subject seem to have forgotten that the question Prof. Perry raised was as to the best system of units to use with a class of engineering students. This question is very seriously complicated by the fact that all their books, and almost all their teachers, use a system of units which is not that of the poundal, but is essentially the one that Prof. Perry advocates. This is a very serious fact that every teacher of engineering students must take account of, and the question is, “What system shall the teacher use with engineering classes?” I entirely agree with Prof. Perry in thinking that it is much better for the teacher to accommodate himself to the requirements of his class than for him to force his class to use one system when working for him, and another outside his class-rooms. This latter plan tends to perpetuate the prevalent notion that science has nothing to do with practice.