Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2023 August 20

= August 20 =

Subscript numbers
Can imperial units be abbreviated with a subscript number, like square mile as mi² or cubic foot as ft³, or are these number used only in metric system? --40bus (talk) 21:09, 20 August 2023 (UTC)


 * This is not a mathematical issue. The use of superscript numbers to denote exponentiation of physical units is most commonly seen in combination with SI units, but there is no rule to keep people from using this convenient method for imperial units, as seen here where in2 is used for the measure of areas, or here where ft3/s is used for the measure of volumetric flow. --Lambiam 01:28, 21 August 2023 (UTC)


 * Just to make the correction explicit, we're talking about superscripts, as Lambiam says, not subscripts, as in the question and title. --142.112.221.64 (talk) 22:31, 22 August 2023 (UTC)


 * In the U.S., things like fill dirt and mulch is often sold by the cubic foot, or the cubic yard. here you can see them using ft3 and yd3 to represent those.  You will commonly see "cu.ft." and "cu.yd." for those as well, but the superscript form is not unheard of.  -- Jayron 32 16:23, 23 August 2023 (UTC)