Question

I have a simple question about a unit of work, the foot-pound (ft-lb). Is that a subtraction sign or do they mean multiplication?

Answer 1

Neither. Work is measured by lifting a weight a certain distance. The foot-pound is a unit of work, being the work performed in lifting one pount up one foot.

Answer 2

Then what is the "-". Shouldn't the two different units multiply together?

Answer 3

No, the hyphen is just there to separate the two words. You might have been happier if the units of work were known as FootPounds!

Answer 4

thanks!