in 1/299 792 458 second

[sitifan]

However, by 1982 a more precise length measurement defined the meter as the distance light travels in 1/299 792 458 second.
(Physics: Principles & Problems, page 7)
Can I read "in 1/299 792 458 second" as "in one over 299 million 792 thousand 458 second"?

 

[Tarheel]

Can I read "in 1/299 792 458 second" as "one over 299 million 792 thousand 458th of a second"?

Like that.

 

[sitifan]

decimeter: a unit of length equal to 1/10 meter
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimeter
Can I read "1/10 meter" as "one tenth meter"?

 

[GoesStation]

Yes, or "one tenth of a meter".

 

[Rover_KE]

For me (British English), only 'a tenth of a metre' or 'one tenth of a metre'.

Also, I'd write the fraction as 1/299,792,458.

You failed to state the author of the cited text.

Is the use of spaces rather than commas as separators in lengthy numbers common in scientific publications?

 

[sitifan]

You failed to state the author of the cited text.
Is the use of spaces rather than commas as separators in lengthy numbers common in scientific publications?

The authors are Murphy, Hollon, Zitzewitz, and Smoot.
“Following the 9th CGPM (1948, Resolution 7) and the 22nd CGPM (2003, Resolution 10), for numbers with many digits the digits may be divided into groups of three by a thin space, in order to facilitate reading. Neither dots nor commas are inserted in the spaces between groups of three.”
http://wordpress.mrreid.org/2014/05/27/stop-putting-commas-in-your-numbers/

 

[Rover_KE]

That's a very interesting article, but the subsequent readers' comments show that we're a long way from achieving universal acceptance of the change.

 

[Tarheel]

I'm not a physicist, so 300,000,000 meters per second (for the speed of light) is okay by me.
:-D

 

[Rover_KE]

It's near enough for me. I'll use that every day from now on.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . Also, I'd write the fraction as 1/299,792,458. . . .

Sitfan, I didn't realize you were expressing a fraction until Rover rewrote it. I didn't know what your string of digits and spaces meant.

Use Rover's method of writing fractions. Use commas, not spaces: 1/2, 3/5, 1/100, 13/1,000, and so on.

 

[Tdol]

Is the use of spaces rather than commas as separators in lengthy numbers common in scientific publications?

Some countries use full stops rather than commas. Maybe it is a way of coming down on one side.

 

[SoothingDave]

I think that's part of it. Eliminates any potential ambiguity.

I was going to comment that this is why you normally see decimals used instead of fractions, but this use needs the accuracy of the fraction (rather than rounding the decimal). In normal cases, one wouldn't need the accuracy.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Some countries use full stops rather than commas. Maybe it is a way of coming down on one side.

Do any English-speaking countries?

How do the tell the difference between 1.175 and 1,175?

And do any just use spaces? (Since we're teaching English here.)

 

[sitifan]

Decimal Separators: Points or Commas?
https://www.smartickmethod.com/blog/math/learning-resources/decimal-separators/