eli5 What does it mean to multiple to multiple units

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**Title: What does it mean to multiply units?**

I can’t grasp what it represents in the real world

Addition/Subtraction: only makes sense in same units and increases/decreases the value like moving forwards/backwards or inreasing/decreasing the amount of force on an object etc…

Division: a ratio, how much of x per y: how many meters you move in one second, how much force is put on an area etc….

Multiplication: no idea. The unit of force: kg / m×s^(2,) mass per whatever m×s^(2) means or F = m×g what does m*g represent? Obviously there is a mathematical proof for this equation but what is the actual reason beyond: the math works out

Or imagine I am in the process of figuring out a brand new equation (in Physics/Chemistry/Geometry/…) how do I know that I need a multiplication right here beyond it’s the math?

**EDIT:** An Attempt to clarify the problem I have

At some point in school we learn that multiplication can describe areas: 7*5 = 35 is the number of pieces in a rectangle if said rectangle is divisible into 7 rows with 5 pieces each or 7 columns with 5 pieces each or the opposite.
Multiplication can also describe an event occuring multiple times if I run 5 km in 7 hours then I ran 35 km total
in probability multiplication can also describe the number of possible uniqe iteration
and I definitly forgot a few things.

But what does Multiplication describe in nature sciences or physics especially? Perhaps in the example of F = m*g but also in general

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5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

If I drive a speed of 50 miles per hour (that is a unit of speed) for 2 hours, that is 100 miles.

Speed X Time = Distance

Something about this formula is that speed is already expressed as a ratio of distance / time.

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