Measures are standardized, calculated units that quantify values. They’re important for describing data and creating visualizations.

To take someone’s measure, to evaluate their character or capabilities: he took her measure as a potential employee.

A semifinite measure on a measurable set is a countable, translation-invariant, finitely additive function. Lebesgue measures and circular angle measures are examples of such measures.

Choosing the Right Measures

Measures are critical for understanding company performance. But the right measures provide insight into strategic management; the wrong ones waste time and resources. It’s easy to report on too much data, so selecting the right metrics requires careful consideration and discussion. It’s also tempting to choose data that appears interesting or impressive. For example, a service availability of 98% is impressive, but it doesn’t translate into the business context of “enabling our business colleagues to produce 1000+ widgets for three consecutive months.”

To avoid the temptation to select the first measures that look good, start by applying a strategic framework. Use a framework like the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) framework to identify and select meaningful measurements. Then talk about your measures with your colleagues to ensure that they resonate with them and reflect the MVGs from their perspective. Finally, confirm that the measures can actually be measured. This may be the most important step in ensuring that your measurements are effective.

Creating Measures in DAX

Creating measures is a powerful feature that allows users to perform complex calculations and insights into their data. However, it is important to follow best practices and troubleshoot issues when using this feature to avoid pitfalls that can reduce performance.

Unlike calculated columns, which are pre-calculated during data loading and stored in the data model, measures must be applied at runtime by the user. This makes them more flexible than calculated columns, but they can also increase the size of the data model and slow down performance if not designed properly.

To create a measure, you must use the MEASURE keyword and define the table on which it will be applied. Then, you must declare an expression that aggregates the data and return a value. This is done using DAX functions such as SUMX, AVERAGEX, and COUNTX. For example, a measure might be defined as COUNTROWS(Sales) + (DiscountPricePerUnit)/(ListPricePerUnit). The measure must always return a value in the filter context in which it is used.

Creating Measures in Excel

The distinction between dimensions and measures is an important one. A measure conveys very little information on its own, but is useful when combined with other dimensions. Its most basic function is to add up numbers, and it can be further augmented with other functions such as count, average, sum, etc.

Creating your first measure is easy in Power Pivot. You can do this in either the Pivot Table or Data Model view. Creating a measure is much like adding a field, except that you need to drag it into the Values section of the Pivot Table.

Once added, a measure becomes a field and is automatically grouped with other similar fields in the Values section of your Pivot Table, called the Measure Group. This allows you to easily sort your pivot table by a single measure, avoiding the need for complex filter and slicer logic. Measures are also portable, which means they can be used in other tables and reports.

Creating Measures in Power BI

To create a measure, select the table that contains the metric you want to add and then click New Measure on the ribbon. Then, enter a name for the measurement and define the calculation formula using DAX syntax.

You can use the DAX formula suggestion feature to help you write your formulas. This is helpful because it eliminates the need to manually type your formula and helps you avoid mistakes.

When you’re finished, you can use your measure in any visualization by dragging it into the values area of a report. Your measure will update automatically as you filter or change the context of your report.

Creating effective measures is a critical part of Power BI and requires a thorough understanding of how to use the tools available. Formatting your measure table and adding clear descriptions improves usability and makes it easier for users to interpret and understand the data. It also ensures that the metrics are accurate and up to date.

Mass and weight are two measurements that often get confused. The amount of matter that something has is its mass, but its weight changes depending on the gravitational force acting on it.

The most common way to measure mass is with a balance. Let’s explore some other methods of determining an object’s mass.

What is Mass?

Most students are taught to weigh things using a balance. That is a great way to introduce the concepts of weight and mass, but it doesn’t teach the real definition of each term.

Mass is a property of matter, regardless of its location in the universe. It is a fundamental quantity with the SI unit of kilogram (kg).

Weight is a force that depends on gravitational attraction. Two objects of the same size can have different weights because gravity affects them differently. An object’s weight can change, for example, when it is moved to a different planet with a stronger or weaker gravity. However, the object’s mass will stay the same. Many people get the two terms confused and use them interchangeably, but they are different measurements.

Gravitational Force

The gravitational force that exists between objects with mass attracts them and causes them to fall toward each other. This is a universal law of nature that was first postulated by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687. Gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the centers of the two masses and increases with the mass of the objects.

In technical contexts, engineers use the term kilogram-force to describe the standard value of gravity (symbol: G) at Earth’s surface—9.80665 m/s2—and they convert mass to a corresponding unit of force in newtons. Objects weigh differently on different planets, depending on their size and the strength of their gravity, but they always have the same mass.

Ever since the 17th century, scientists have tried to measure the strength of gravity in a laboratory. The most precise technique uses a torsion balance. Students can experiment with this equipment and record the results on graph paper. They can also write an equation from the data to show the relationship between the force of gravity and the mass of the object.

Weighing Scales

A scale is the instrument used to measure the amount of matter in an object. It can be used in a variety of applications, from measuring a person’s body weight to weighing ingredients for baking. Weighing scales are also commonly found in chemistry labs and other scientific settings.

The most common scales used in mass measurement are balances, which compare unknown masses to a known quantity – in this case standard weights. This allows the scale to provide a reading that is independent of changes in gravity. In modern weighing scales, load cells convert the downward force into a proportional electrical signal that can then be converted and displayed to show weight on an indicating element.

When weighing samples in a laboratory, it’s important to remove the added weight of the container, as this can bias the results. This process is called taring, and it can be accomplished by pressing a tare button on the instrument.

Lab Equipment

Measurements of mass are vital for numerous scientific disciplines, including chemistry. The most common method of measuring mass is with a balance, which utilizes an object’s gravitational acceleration to determine its weight. A precise balance is necessary to ensure that all of your measurements are accurate.

For liquid measurements, lab tools like graduated cylinders, pipettes, and burettes provide precise measurements that are vital for accurate chemical reactions. These instruments are engineered with precision in mind, enabling scientists to achieve incredibly small quantities without error.

Other important lab equipment includes a variety of glassware, weighing scales, and heat sources like Bunsen burners and hot plates. Proper storage and organization of all laboratory apparatus helps to ensure that it is safe for use. It also facilitates easy retrieval, reducing time spent searching for the right equipment for an experiment. The right lab apparatus can make or break an experiment, so it is important to carefully assess your needs and select the correct equipment.