usr/src/usr.bin/units/units.1

.\" Copyright (c) 1985, 1993
.\"     The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
.\"
.\" This module is believed to contain source code proprietary to AT&T.
.\" Use and redistribution is subject to the Berkeley Software License
.\" Agreement and your Software Agreement with AT&T (Western Electric).
.\"
.\"     @(#)units.1     8.1 (Berkeley) 6/6/93
.\"
.TH UNITS 1 "June 6, 1993"
.AT 3
.if n .ds / /
.if t .ds / \z/\h'\w'*'u'
.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/share/misc/units'.
.SH FILES
/usr/lib/units
.SH BUGS
Don't base your
financial plans on the currency conversions.