Question

A steel measuring tape is calibrated at 20 degrees Celsius. A reading of 32.10m is measured when it is used to find the length of a building. If the temperature is 5degrees Celsius, what is the actual length of the building at that temperature?
The coefficient of linear expansion for steel is 12*10^-6

Answer 1

Does the building expand also? What is its coefficent of linear expansion?

Answer 2

It just says to take into consideration the measuring tape and not the building.

Answer 3

You can get the length of the tape at 5C by

deltaL=32.10*12E-6*(15)then subtracting deltaL from that L.

Answer 4

Opps, add delta L to L. The tape shrinks, so the measurement of the building is longer.