  Making meaning with math in physics requires blending physical conceptual
knowledge with mathematical symbology. Students in introductory physics classes
often struggle with this, but it is an essential component of learning how to
think with math. Teaching dimensional analysis (DA). figuring out what
measurements were combined to create a symbolic quantity, is a valuable first
step in helping them learn to appreciate this difference. In this paper I
discuss some of the issues associated with learning dimensional analysis and
show some ways we can modify our instruction to help. This paper is one of a
series on how to help students develop the scientific thinking skills required
for learning to use math in science.
