Units conversion

Natural Calculator can convert units from one system to another and display the result in other units of the same system. Conversion of units within one system can be performed automatically when the expression result is calculated (if the unit is not defined exactly). To convert the result into another system, it must be defined exactly.
Units are automatically searched during the first expression result calculation. The expression result calculation context menu can be used to select a certain unit and unit system. This menu allows the user to select the necessary unit and its system to convert the result.

Simple units

Simple units are represented by one symbol.

Example:

In the following example, length units are defined. Because the unit system is not defined, the program uses the default system the metric (SI) system.

In later calculations, an automatic search is performed for the best matching unit.

Let's transform the first result (18m) to centimeters. To do this, click the right mouse button at the result, and select the item "Units ..." from the context menu. Only the metric unit system is available at this moment. Therefore, you can use only this system for conversion.

The menu provides all the previously declared units from which to choose. The item "metre" (metric system) is checked. This means that, currently, the result refers to this unit system. For more convenience, all the units are grouped by the coefficient ascending principle. The first item in the list is "Auto," which is currently checked. This item means automatic unit selection. Select the "cm" item. The expression will be recalculated, and the result will be displayed with the selected unit.

Now, open the units dialog again:

Now, the selected unit is "cm." It will be the only unit used in this expression until the selected menu item is changed. Return to the expression, and edit it.

As you can see, the selected unit has been saved. To return to automatic unit selection, choose the item "Auto" from the above-mentioned context menu. Now, the result will be displayed in the most conveniently used unit "km."

Units can be defined by using another power of a number. In this case, it is also possible to set either automatic or user-defined unit selection.

Example:

In this example, the unit "liter" is defined in cubic decimeters.

The unit selection dialog contains the following items:

As you can see, there are no units such as "m" or "cm" because they are expressed by the first exponent. The menu contains only the cubic exponent units.

Complex units

Complex units consist of several simple units. When selecting the necessary unit variant, you will be able to choose from a list containing all the possible combinations of simple units to form the resulting unit.

Example:

The following units are declared:

Then, the expression calculation occurs:

The resulting unit in this case is mps (meters per second). This unit is a complex one because there was no declared equivalent. Therefore, the following combinations based on such units and previously declared units:

If you choose "cm/s," you have:

Later, there are some examples of more complicated units.

Example:

The following units are declared:

Calculation:

Automatic search of units occurs. The unit Joule by meter is selected as the simplest one. This selection is correct: the exact matching unit is not declared. Other choices presented in the dialog:

The simplest units in the menu are separated with a delimiter. Other unit systems containing the resulting matching units also appear in the menu. Let's convert the current result into different units for more clarity and present them together.

Example:

In addition to the previous example of declaring, let's define U.S. system units:

The declared units are mass, length, and time. Pay attention the time units also must be present in the document to be used for calculating the previous expression in the current system. Now, the units dialog for the U.S. measurement system has the following view:

All variants of the units in the calculation are distributed based on the declared units. When you select "Auto," the automatic calculation is performed with reference to the U.S. unit system: