In my random quip file there is the quote “I once converted meters per second to furlongs per fortnight to make the point about the clumsiness of English units.” Finding this in the archives:

One furlong per fortnight is very nearly 1 centimetre per minute (to within 1 part in 400). Besides having the meaning of “any obscure unit”, furlongs per fortnight have also served frequently in the classroom as an example on how to reduce a unit’s fraction. The speed of light may be expressed as being roughly 1.8 terafurlongs per fortnight. More conveniently (albeit not necessarily more commonly) expressed as 1.8 mega-furlongs per micro-fortnight.

Interestingly, 1 attoparsec/microfortnight is nearly 1 inch/second (the actual figure is about 1.0043 inches per second, or approximately 2.55 cm/s).

To update that, we turn to AI. Notice that some of the results change a bit.

To convert from furlongs per fortnight (fpF) to miles per hour (mph), we need to follow several steps, including unit conversions for distance and time. Here’s how to break it down:

Step 1: Understand the units

Furlong: 1 furlong = 1 / 8 of a mile.

Fortnight: 1 fortnight = 14 days.

Step 2: Convert furlongs to miles

Since 1 furlong = 1 / 8 mile, we can express furlongs in miles:

1 furlong = 0.125 miles

Step 3: Convert fortnight to hours

Now let’s convert fortnights to hours.

1 day = 24 hours
1 fortnight = 14 days

So, we calculate the total hours in a fortnight:

14 days × 24 hours / day = 336 hours

Step 4: Set up the conversion

Now, let’s set up the full conversion:

1 furlong per fortnight can be expressed in miles per hour as follows:

Speed in mph = Speed in fpF × (0.125 miles /1 furlong​) × (1 fortnight /​ 336 hours)

Step 5: Combine the conversions

When combining all these components, we have:

Speed in mph = Speed in fpF × (0.125 miles​ / 336 hours)

Step 6: Simplify the expression

This gives us:

Speed in mph = Speed in fpF × 0.125​ / 336

Calculation

Now, let’s calculate 0.125/336​:

0.125/336​ ≈ 0.0003720238

This means:

1 fpF ≈ 0.0003720238 mph

Conclusion

To convert speed from furlongs per fortnight to miles per hour, you multiply the number of furlongs per fortnight by approximately 0.000372.

For example: If you had a speed of 100 fpF, the conversion would be:

100 fpF × 0.000372 ≈ 0.0372 mph

By following these steps, we have successfully converted the unit from furlongs per fortnight to miles per hour!

To convert from furlongs per fortnight (fpF) to feet per second (fps), we’ll follow a series of conversion steps similar to the previous process.

Step 1: Understand the units

Furlong: 1 furlong = 660 feet.

Fortnight: 1 fortnight = 14 days.

Step 2: Convert furlongs to feet

We can directly convert furlongs to feet:

1 furlong = 660 feet

Step 3: Convert fortnight to seconds

Now let’s convert fortnights to seconds.

1 day = 24 hours
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 minute = 60 seconds

So, calculating the total seconds in a fortnight:

Total seconds = 14 days × 24 hours / day × 60 minutes / hour × 60 seconds / minute

Calculating this step-by-step:

1. 14 days × 24 hours / day = 336 hours
2. 336 hours × 60 minutes / hour = 20,160 minutes
3. 20,160 minutes × 60 seconds / minute = 1,209,600 seconds

So, 1 fortnight = 1,209,600 seconds.

Step 4: Set up the conversion

We can express the speed in feet per second like this:

Speed in fps = Speed in fpF × (660 feet / ​1 furlong) × (1 fortnight​ / 1,209,600 seconds)

Step 5: Combine the conversions

Now, we can write:

Speed in fps = Speed in fpF × (660 feet / 1,209,600 seconds)​

Step 6: Simplify the expression

Calculating 660 / 1,209,600:

660 / 1,209,600​ ≈ 0.000545

Thus, we can say:

1 fpF ≈ 0.000545 fps

Conclusion

To convert speed from furlongs per fortnight to feet per second, you multiply by approximately 0.000545.

For example, if you had a speed of 100 fpF, the conversion would be:

100 fpF × 0.000545 ≈ 0.0545 fps

This completes the conversion to feet per second!

To convert from furlongs per fortnight (fpF) to centimeters per fortnight (cm / ft), we need to follow a series of steps, focusing primarily on the conversion of distance units.

Step 1: Understand the units

Furlong: 1 furlong = 660 feet.

Centimeter: 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters.

Fortnight: This unit contains time, but since we are converting speed and will not change the time component, we’ll keep it as is.

Step 2: Convert furlongs to feet

As we’ve established, we know:

1 furlong = 660 feet

Step 3: Convert feet to centimeters

Now we will convert feet to centimeters:

1 foot = 30.48 centimeters

Step 4: Combine the conversions

To convert from furlongs to centimeters, we need to multiply the number of furlongs by the conversion to feet, and then by the conversion to centimeters:

1 furlong = 660 feet × 30.48 cm / foot

Calculating this gives:

1 furlong in centimeters = 660 × 30.48 = 20,116.8 centimeters

Step 5: Set up the full conversion

Now, let’s express the conversion from furlongs per fortnight to centimeters per fortnight:

Speed in cm / ft = Speed in fpF × (20,116.8 cm/1 furlong​)

Step 6: Simplify the expression

Therefore:

Speed in cm / ft = Speed in fpF × 20,116.8

Conclusion

To convert speed from furlongs per fortnight to centimeters per fortnight, you multiply the number of furlongs per fortnight by 20,116.8.

For example, if you had a speed of 100 fpF, the conversion would be:

100 fpF × 20,116.8 ≈ 2,011,680 cm / ft

This completes the conversion to centimeters per fortnight!

To express the speed of light in units of furlongs per fortnight (fpF), we will start with the known speed of light in miles per hour and convert it step by step.

Step 1: Speed of Light

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately:

299,792,458 meters per second.

Step 2: Convert to Miles per Hour

1. Convert meters to miles:

1 mile = 1,609.344 meters.

Thus,

Speed of light in miles = 1,609.344 meters / mile299,792,458 meters / sec​ ≈ 186,282.397 miles / sec.

2. Convert seconds to hours:

There are 3,600 seconds in an hour.

Speed of light in mph = 186,282.397 miles / sec × 3,600 seconds / hour ≈ 670,616,629 mph.

Step 3: Convert to Furlongs per Fortnight

From our previous conversions:

1. Convert miles to furlongs:

1 mile = 8 furlongs.

Hence,

Speed of light in fpF = 670,616,629 mph × 8 furlongs / mile = 5,364,932,032 fpH.

2. Convert hours to fortnights:

There are 336 hours in a fortnight (14 days).

Speed of light in fpF = 5,364,932,032 fpH / (336 hours / fortnight)​ ≈ 15,955,388.444 fpF.

Conclusion

The speed of light is approximately:

15,955,388.444 furlongs per fortnight (fpF).

To express the speed of light in units of mega-furlongs per micro-fortnight (MFpμF), we will go through a series of conversions step-by-step.

Step 1: Understand the Units

1. Furlong: 1 furlong = 660 feet.
2. Mega-furlong (MF): 1 MF = 10⁶ furlongs.
3. Fortnight: This contains time, but we’ll use it for conversion.
4. Micro-fortnight (μF): 1 μF = 10⁻⁶ fortnights.

Step 2: Speed of Light

We will use the common approximation of the speed of light as 3 × 10⁸ meters per second.

Step 3: Convert Speed to Furlongs per Second

1. Convert meters to furlongs:

1 mile = 1,609.344 meters and 1 mile = 8 furlongs, so:

1 furlong = 1,609.344/8​ = 201.168 meters.

2. Thus,

Speed in fpS = 3 × 108 m/sec / 201.168 m/furlong​ ≈ 1,489,999.999 fpS.

Step 4: Convert to Furlongs per Fortnight

1. Convert seconds to fortnights:

There are 3,600 seconds / hour and 24 hours / day and 14 days / fortnight, so:

1 fortnight = 3,600 × 24 × 14 = 1,209,600 seconds.

2. Now, convert fpS to fpF:

Speed in fpF = Speed in fpS × 1,209,600 seconds / fortnight ≈ 1,489,999.999 × 1,209,600 ≈ 1,802,271,059,117.664 fpF.

Step 5: Convert to Mega-furlongs per Micro-fortnight

Now we need to convert from furlongs per fortnight to mega-furlongs per micro-fortnight:

1. Convert fpF to MFpμF:

1 MF = 10⁶ furlongs and 1 μF = 10⁻⁶ fortnights.

Therefore,

Speed in MFpμF = 1,802,271,059,117.664 / (10⁶ furlongs / MF × 10⁻⁶ fortnights / μF)​ = 1,802,271.059 MFpμF.

Conclusion

The speed of light is approximately:

1,802,271.059 mega-furlongs per micro-fortnight (MFpμF).

To convert from attoparsecs per microfortnight (aPC / μF) to inches per second (in / s), we will follow these conversion steps:

Step 1: Understand the Units

1. Attoparsec (aPC):

1 aPC = 10⁻¹⁸ parsecs.

2. Parsec:

1 parsec ≈ 3.086 × 10¹⁶ meters.

3. Microfortnight (μF):

1 μF = 10⁻⁶ fortnights.

1 fortnight = 14 days = 14 × 24 × 3600 seconds = 1,209,600 seconds.

So, 1 μF = 1,209,600 / 10⁶ seconds​ = 1.2096 seconds.

Step 2: Set up the Conversion

We need to convert aPC / μF to in / s.

1. Convert attoparsecs to meters:

1 aPC = 10−18 × 3.086 × 1016 m ≈ 0.03086 m.

2. Convert to inches:

1 inch = 0.0254 meters.

So,

1 aPC ≈ 0.03086 m / (0.0254 m/inch)​ ≈ 1.216 inches.

Step 3: Combine the Conversions

Now, for the conversion factor:

1 μF / 1 aPC​ needs to be calculated:

Using our findings above:

Inches per second = Speed in aPC / μF × (1.2096 seconds / 1.216 inches​).

Step 4: Express as a Direct Conversion

Now we express this in a formula:

Inches per second = Speed in aPC / μF × 1.2096/1.216​

Calculating the conversion factor:

1.2096/1.216​ ≈ 1.0054.

Final Expression

Putting it all together, to convert from attoparsecs per microfortnight to inches per second, use:

Inches per second ≈ Speed in aPC / μF × 1.0054.

This means that for every 1 aPC / μF, it results in approximately 1.0054 in / s.

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The bottom line from this is two-fold:

• With easy access to AI tools, one can take the most arcane calculations to the most ridiculous extremes, and
• The next time you hear anyone say “inches per second” you can calmly reply, “Or, attoparsecs per microfortnight.”