The Plural of RPM

[William Gaffga]

Actually, in some instances, RPM can refer to "rotations" but that s  
typically on a 4 or 5 axis milling machine where you are describing  
the maximum rotary speed of an axis. Admittedly this is a very small  
instance.

Will.

On May 2, 2006, at 11:16 AM, al.geist at geistassociates.com wrote:

> Websters dictionary defines "RPM" as revolutions per minute, not  
> rotations
> or revolutions's, so your engineer is wrong, unless of course he is
> developing an entirely new language, and you would be wrong if you use
> "rotations" to define the acronym; although, this acronym is so  
> common, it
> probably would not need defining.
>
>> I'm having a back-and-forth with an engineer about how to write  
>> more than
>> one RPM. She wants to write, "RPM's." I freaked and said, "No,  
>> that would
>> be saying, it's the Rotation Per Minute's problem."
>> I know, it doesn't make sense.
>> I want to simply write RPM, meaning Rotations Per Minute.
>>
>> Am I correct or is there another way?
>>
>> I also hate to apply the possessive to an inanimate object or a  
>> company
>> for example, "IBM's net worth." Is there a rule about that, or is  
>> that
>> just me?