What value is added to Fahrenheit to obtain Rankine (to three significant figures)?

What value is added to Fahrenheit to obtain Rankine (to three significant figures)?

• A. 459.67
• B. 32
• C. 273
• D. 460

Answer: (D)

Rankine is an absolute temperature scale that uses Fahrenheit-sized increments. To convert a Fahrenheit temperature to Rankine, you add the Fahrenheit value of absolute zero, which is 459.67°F. So the exact relationship is T_Rankine = T_Fahrenheit + 459.67. When the problem asks for the value added to three significant figures, you round 459.67 to three sig figs, giving 460. Therefore, the value to add is 460. The other numbers aren’t the offset: 32 is the Fahrenheit freezing point of water, and 273 relates to Celsius/Kelvin, not the Rankine offset.

Rankine is an absolute temperature scale that uses Fahrenheit-sized increments. To convert a Fahrenheit temperature to Rankine, you add the Fahrenheit value of absolute zero, which is 459.67°F. So the exact relationship is T_Rankine = T_Fahrenheit + 459.67.

When the problem asks for the value added to three significant figures, you round 459.67 to three sig figs, giving 460. Therefore, the value to add is 460. The other numbers aren’t the offset: 32 is the Fahrenheit freezing point of water, and 273 relates to Celsius/Kelvin, not the Rankine offset.