Ok, I'm new to Inkscape and vector art in general, so this very well may be user error. When I go to make any kind of path using a shape(triangle in, triangle out, ellipse, etc.), if I go into the path effect editor, I see the width is set to 1.000. But the width when I make the path is actually exactly 10 pixels according to my ruler. Meaning the base of the triangle, or the middle of the ellipse, is 10 pixels exactly, not 1 as it should be(right?)

I've made sure my display is set to pixels, not millimeters, or inches, etc. I've looked at everything I can think of in Inkscape preferences and document preferences. I've googled it and searched quite a bit. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I've even gone to test it in other dialogs on the same document by, for example, creating a rectangle and using the transform dialog to manually enter the width/height to 1 and to 10 and it works correctly. If I set the measurement to pixels in scale tab of the transform dialog and set the rectangle to be 1 pixel wide. it is exactly 1 unit wide by my ruler, or if I set it to 10, it is exactly 10 units. I'm thinking this has to be bug, but when I'm learning a new program, it usually ends up being user error. Any thoughts, anyone?

Hi.

It's just that a 10/10 pixel sized circle-shape is given by default to the lpe when the ellipse option is selected.
The path effect's width factor gives a percentage input, not a pixel/mm width.
Meaning, the 1,00 width in the lpe settings will make the pattern appear at 100% scale.

If you want some more control over the size, then set a custom pattern object, and link it as a parent (icon next to the paste from clipboaard, not exactly sure about the jargon).
Then instead of the effect's width setting, scale the original path to exact pixel sizes.

Ah. That makes sense I suppose. Thank you for the response. I wish something somewhere would explain this in the software though :-/ Hoverovers on every other tool or settings I can find tell whether it's units(and what type), rations, percents, etc.. Is the path effect editor a newer feature? Almost everything I've tried to do in there is confusing and unintuitive. For instance, I've tried setting a custom pattern object using the link button in the path effect editor like you said and for the life of me, I can't figure out how. Also, there appears to be no way to save your settings and the "last used settings" don't seem to apply to the path effect editor. If I want to use the "triangle in" shape to draw some crazy trees and I want to use a width of .65 on 84 different paths(random example), I need to reset the width manually 84 times?

Certainly not.
You can combine all paths together (Ctrl+K) and then add the pattern to all of the subpaths at once.
If it is necessary at all.
I usually scale the pattern to the desired size before linking it into a pattern along path effect, so the default 1 width factor can be suitable.

To draw a tree, I suggest to use the pattern along path lpe on a spiro-path.
Then, for a small branch, four nodes would be enough on the path, and duplicants of it could be tweaked much easier than to make four noded paths with the pencil tool.

Ok, I did get combine to work this time. I thought that should work, but the last time I tried, I got some very strange effects. However, vector drawing and inkscape are completely new to me and I'm still getting some basics down, so I imagine I just did something wrong.

It's still not ideal for what I'd like though, but it will work well enough for now. I like to see it in real time as I'm drawing rather than changing them all at once with combine. I'd like if it would just retain the width *if I want it to* as so many other tools retain their settings when you have them set to "last setting used", and I'm just not sure why it won't work that way. Even though I have other options to get the desired look, can anyone tell me... is this a bug? is this intended? is there a way to make it retain it's setting that I'm not aware of?