Final answer:
The nominal dimensions of a brick in inches are 4 x 3.2 x 8, converting to millimeters, they would be approximately 102 x 81 x 203 mm. Inches are commonly used to measure small items, and the accuracy of such measurements is close to the true or expected value.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the nominal dimensions of a brick in inches and millimeters, we are referring to its advertised or stated dimensions, which are not necessarily its actual, precise measurements. In this case, the nominal dimensions provided for the brick are 4 x 3.2 x 8 inches, which approximates to 102 x 81 x 203 millimeters. This is an example of a common brick size used in construction. It is important to understand that when measuring small items, such as the length of a crayon, a ruler can be used to determine size in inches, yielding a typical measurement range that is very close to the true value to ensure accuracy.
Using the given example, something with actual measurements of 11.1 in., 11.2 in., and 10.9 in. are considered quite accurate, as they are very close to the expected dimension of 11.0 inches. An inch itself is approximately the length of the tip to the first knuckle of an average adult's thumb, and is standardly abbreviated as 'in.'
To illustrate the concept using volume, consider a small stack with the formula of volume of stack = length x width x height. An example would be a stack measuring 6 in. x 3 in. x 0.5 in., resulting in a volume of 9 cubic inches, written as 9 in.³.