WORKING WITH FORMULAS
Key Concepts
• You can move factors from one side of the equal sign to the other side in a
diagonal manner
• Unknown factor must be alone and on top
• If there isn’t a division line, the factor is considered on top
• When plugging numbers into a formula, they must be in the same units as the
formula
Example 1:
Solve the formula for Velocity
Quantity = Area x Velocity
Example 2:
Solve the formula for mg/L
lb/day = (MGD) x (mg/L) x (8.34)
Example 3:
Solve for time in seconds
Velocity = Distance
Time
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WORKING WITH FORMULAS
Rearrange the detention time formula:
Detention Time = Tank Volume
Flow
1. Solve for tank volume
2. Solve for flow
Rearrange the lb/day formula
lb/day = (Flow, MGD) x (Dose, mg/L) x (8.34)
3. Solve for flow
4. Solve for dose
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WORKING WITH FORMULAS
Rearrange the velocity formula:
Velocity = Distance
Time
5. Solve for time
6. Solve for distance
Rearrange the solids loading formula:
Solids loading, lb/day/sq ft = Solids Applied, lb/day
Surface Area, sq ft
7. Solve for solids applied
8. Solve for surface area
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WORKING WITH FORMULAS
Rearrange the hydraulic loading formula:
Hydraulic loading, gpd/sq ft = Flow, gpd
Surface Area, sq. ft
9. Solve for flow
10. Solve for Surface area
11. Find the chemical consumption in lb/day if plant flow is 1.5 CFS and chemical dose is 2.5
mg/L.
lb/day = (Flow, MGD) (Dose, mg/L) (8.34)
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WORKING WITH FORMULAS
12. Find the detention time in minutes of a basin that has a volume of 15,000 ft3 and a flow of
350 gpm.
Detention Time = Volume, gal
Flow, gpm
13. Find the detention time in minutes of a basin that has a volume of 40,000 gallons and a
flow of 350 gpm.
Detention Time = Volume, gal
Flow, gpm
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WORKING WITH FORMULAS
1. DT x Flow = Tank Volume
2. Flow = Tank Volume
Detention Time
3. Flow = lb/day
(Dose, mg/L) (8.34)
4. Dose mg/L = lb/day
(Flow, MGD)(8.34)
5. Time = Distance
Velocity
6. Distance = (Velocity) (Time)
7. Solids Applied lb/day = (Solids Loading) (Surface Area)
8. Surface Area = Solids Applied
Solids Loading
9. Flow = (Hydraulic Loading) (Surface Area)
10. Surface Area = Flow
Hydraulic Loading
11. 20.2 lb/day
12. 321 min
13. 114 min
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