Addition And Subtraction Of Decimals

In 1983, a decimal and unit conversion error nearly caused a disaster for an Air Canada Boeing 767. The ground staff miscalculated the fuel needed, loading 22,300 pounds instead of kilograms (1 pound is roughly 0.453 kg). This meant the plane had about half the fuel it required!

The plane ran out of fuel mid-air, forcing the pilots to make a terrifying emergency landing at an abandoned airfield. Fortunately, everyone survived, but it proves that tiny decimal errors can have massive consequences.