INTRODUCTION
As a petroleum manager, you can very easily be expected to be assigned to a brigade, division, corps, or
higher staff. As the only expert on petroleum matters, you may be tasked to prepare staff papers or
contribute to war plans involving fuel logistics, a working knowledge of petroleum mathematics is
fundamentally important for the development of logistics operations involving the distribution of fuel to
theater forces. Accordingly, it is essential that you develop a proficiency in basic mathematics.
PART A - WHOLE NUMBERS
Whole numbers are numbers that are not fractions i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They can be positive
and negative. These are called Arabic numbers because they originated in the Middle East. Signs of
mathematical operations tell you what to do with groups of numbers:
+ means to add
- means to subtract
x and ( ) mean to multiply
/ and ,, mean to divide
Addition. Addition is the process of uniting two or more numbers or groups of objects of the same kind.
The first step in the process is to arrange the numbers uniformly in vertical columns. The last digit to the
right in each number should be in the vertical column. Add the numbers in the right hand column. If the sum
contains more than one digit (10 or more), write the right hand digit under the column added, and add the
remaining digit or digits to the left. For example, if the sum of the column is 43, write the 3 under the column
and add the 4 to the sum of the digits in the next column.
Example: Add 8145, 234, 756
Arrange the numbers in vertical order first. Add and carry over digits.
8145
234
+ 756
Total/Sum 9135
Subtraction. Subtraction is the process of taking one number from another. It is the opposite of addition.
Example: Subtract 83 from 597
597
- 83
Difference 514
Multiplication. Multiplication is the process by which any given number may be added to itself any
specified number of times. Used to shorten the process of addition.
Example: 232 X 2 = 464
232
+ 232
464
Division. Division is the method of finding out how many times one number is contained in another.
Example: 552 / 23 = 24
PART B - COMMON FRACTIONS
Measurements are seldom taken and given in whole numbers. Fractions become necessary if we are going
to maintain any type of accuracy. Usually, the more accurate our measurements, the more fractions we will
have to deal with.
9-2
QM 5092
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