Typing units correctly

[David Barton]

Tom Pledger writes:

   In both of those cases, the apparent non-integer dimension is
   accompanied by a particular unit (km, V).  So, could they equally
   well be handled by stripping away the units and exponentiating a
   dimensionless number?  For example:

       (x / 1V) ^ y


I think not.  The "Dimension Types" paper really is excellent, and
makes the distinction between the necessity of exponents on the
dimensions and the exponents on the numbers very clear; I commend it
to everyone in this discussion.  The two things (a number of "square
root volts" and a "number of volts to an exponent" are different
things, unless you are simply trying to represent a ground number as
an expression!

					Dave Barton <*>
					dlb@averstar.com )0(
					http://www.averstar.com/~dlb