Metric vs Imperial

[PopCulturePooka]

Which measurement system reigns supreme?

What is the most sensible?


And why does America insist on using a stupid measurement system that defies logic and easy to understand math?

[Josh]

Because we are not easily drawn in by logic dammit! Do you not remember our attempt to switch over to the metric system? A miserable failure!

Damn you and your superior metric system....

[Stephy]

Because we always have to be different and must have our own way of doing things because we are stubborn.

[h2orowe]

Metric system seems more practical, but I've been raised on the imperial system. So, yeah, I go with what I know.

[chgu]

What Steph said. We probably haven't switched yet because it would be like giving in to the scrutiny.

[Kwiz]

Oh, I'd love to see us switch over to the metric system. It would be a big investment though, phasing in new infrastructure and mechanics... but still very much worth it. Customary measurements make little sense at all.

[Stephy]

I agree Kwizard. But I doubt that will happen any time soon, unfortunately. America likes to be different from the rest of the world or something. We're difficult.

[paul]

Geez, even england is metric now. They should call it "american" instead of "imperial".

[Shamu]

Yep, we Americans just like to be difficult, different, and obstinant, much like you Australians, except we got rid of the monarchy and gained Lucky Charms ;) :P

Seriously though, I try to use the metric system and it throws me off. I'm sure if I had to use it all the time, I'd get the hang of it, but I'm so used to Imperial, that I really don't know how to tell distance, weight, ect...in metric terms without looking at a chart. >_>

[ZaichikArky]

I would so *love* for us to switch to metric. For small measurements, since the metric system was all we learned in middle school and early high school science classes, I am much more familiar with the metric system. It is incredibly easy to do conversions and overall is a much better system. I am, of course, more familiar with miles but cannot tell you how many feet or yards or whatever make a mile. All I know converting American units are that there are 12 inches in a foot. Oh and I think that a kilometer is the length of about 2 miles. Is that right? It's so retarded. I like the metric system so much better :|.

The only reason we haven't switched over to the metric system, despite the notions of us wanting to feel like we're "special", is the above mentioned reason for spending millions(or more) of dollars on changing all our signs everywhere, a processes that would take years and certainly increase taxes. I think it really would pay off though.

[Trinadad]

I love the metric system, thing is, even in Canada we still use Imperial all the time. Weight, oven, pool temperature, etc is all in imperial stuff, we've always done it, so that's why it's still imperial. But metric still owns. Makes life a lot easier.

Everyone should become Metric so we can all be a happy metric family. =D

[Dahvood]

All I know converting American units are that there are 12 inches in a foot. Oh and I think that a kilometer is the length of about 2 miles. Is that right? It's so retarded. I like the metric system so much better :|.

1.6 km per mile
and... uh, 12 inches a foot is about all I know about the imperial system haha

Metric ftw!

[chad mullet]

Geez, even england is metric now.

Only for people under 35 - all the rest of us still think Imperial. Fuck the EU!!!

[Psychochink]

You know the funny thing about imperial? I think of everything in terms of metric, and I think that the imperial system is utterly nonsensical.

...except for people's height. I am completely incapable of estimating somebody's height in terms of 'X.X metres'. Weight, hell yeah, lbs make no sense - but for height, I always have to go the feet/inches thing in order to make a decent approximation.

NB: This does not apply for other measurements of height. I can look at a guy standing against a wall and say, "That wall's about 2m high, and the guy's about 5'10"." My brain is broken.

[ApathyEcstasy]

metric is infinitely superior, more logical and rational...the imperial system is illogical and irrational..completely arbitrary

[ApathyEcstasy]

You know the funny thing about imperial? I think of everything in terms of metric, and I think that the imperial system is utterly nonsensical.

...except for people's height. I am completely incapable of estimating somebody's height in terms of 'X.X metres'. Weight, hell yeah, lbs make no sense - but for height, I always have to go the feet/inches thing in order to make a decent approximation.

NB: This does not apply for other measurements of height. I can look at a guy standing against a wall and say, "That wall's about 2m high, and the guy's about 5'10"." My brain is broken.

it's america's fault for your brain being broken..and i'm not joking or exaggerating whatsoever

[ruaidhri]

Maybe, just maybe, when us old duffs die off metric will win the battle. However, for now imperial is what we know. Most people aren't scientists and don't really need to calculate beyond an inch, a foot, a mile or even a pint, a quart or a gallon. It's like learning a new language. You always have to translate into the language you already know. It's simply too much work.

Edit - By the way, my son Redbeard is working on his PhD in Materials Engineering. His specialty is in developing new materials by introducing nano sized materials. Obviously, I do understand and appreciate the logic of the metric system. I just don’t see it happening in the U.S. during my lifetime.

[Kannon]

Sadly the imperial system will live another generation, at least. Everyone that I know (graduate class of 2000) of course uses it, and simply because of the unfamiliarity of the metric system, hates it. Much easier to use in math and what not, but other than a klick (km) I couldn't judge distance in metric off the top of my head like I can using the imperial system.

[Citizen]

The Imperial system won't last much longer. Canada and the United Kingdom are the only countries that still use it, but they also use the SI metric system.

For the record, America doesn't use the Imperial system. We never have. We use U.S. customary units, which, although similar to the Imperial system, is different in that it also draws from English units.

Edit: I should also add that U.S. customary units and English units are both even more dated than the Imperial system. We really need to switch to SI metric.

[Kenshin]

Metric system user here.

The odd thing for me is (since I love anything related to airplanes and flight) is that I feel weird if I fly a plane in my simulator which uses the metric system (such as Russian planes), and calls out altitude and speed in meters and km/h. I just prefer seeing it in feet and knots (1 knot = 1 nautical mile/hour, or 1.852 km/h.)

On the other hand, it's not that confusing for me to make the conversions between miles and kilometers and vice versa (me in Miami: "So, the max. speed allowed here is 90 mi/h? Hmm.. that's around... 145 km/h.. pfff, too slow." :P. Normal highway cruising speed around here is 160-180 km/h, if not more - or 100 - 113 mi/h.)

Now, if you're talking about temperatures (except for the Kelvin system), that's a whole different story...
"Ok, so, 0°C is equal to 32°F... and 37°C is 98.6°F... but why is -40°C equal to -40°F too?? :frypan::boggled:

[MeneerDijk]

Fahrenheit is what i struggle the most with too, miles and feet i can convert rouhgly to at least get an idea.

Making the entire country change to the metric system is going to be a mammoth task taking a whole generation to completely succeed. There will be some people grasping it easy, some will take some time getting used to it, and some will never get it. And there will be some that fight it.

I compare it to us changing currency about 5 years back. We went from Guilder to Euro. A lot of people, including me struggled with getting used to it. Everything seemed a lot cheaper, while in some cases prices went up. (people took advantage of the converting problem) I still catch myself converting things back to guilders sometimes to see what the value would be.

And thats just changing one thing, changing to the metric system is a lot more work.

[shimanotaka]

Darn it Meneer! You almost wrote everything I was going to write! Aw, what the heck. I'll post it anyway...

Metric is more logic, but I can understand the problems that would arise when changing systems. We changed currency from Marks to Euro four years ago. I spent about two years converting all prices back to Marks in my head before I got used to the new currency. And that was only one unit we exchanged for another. It would be hell to change a whole system. Still I believe it would be beneficial.

I feel that I know the imp... um, U.S. customary units quite good at least. A mile is 1.609 km, an inch 2.54 cm. A yard should be around 0.9 m, a foot about 0.3 m, a gallon around 4 liters and a pound somewhere around half a kilo.

It's not too hard doing conversions between those units and the metric ones, but one thing I have a hard time grasping is the Fahrenheit temperature scale. That's just... :eyepop:

[seiji]

I can't get the Celsius scale. I grew up on Fahrenheit, and these Japanese metric weather reports confuse me.

I will forever be a fan of the Imperial/US customary/whatever units simply because they are obsolete and illogical. It's like a secret club with the password "sixteen cups to a gallon, five thousand two hundred eighty feet to a mile," and my inner romantic adores that. My inner scientist thinks the logic of the metric system is worth whatever it costs to convert road signs and spedometers and milk cartons and thermostats, but the romantic outweighs him and says it's good enough that cereal boxes list both ounces and grams and celsius forecasts are available on the internet.

I'm glad SI is enforced in schools, and I think it's about time the US took another step toward standardization with the rest of the civilized world. But that won't stop me from being 5'5" tall.

[whispering]

Making the entire country change to the metric system is going to be a mammoth task taking a whole generation to completely succeed. There will be some people grasping it easy, some will take some time getting used to it, and some will never get it. And there will be some that fight it.

As far as i know, every countrie went through that, US just didnt enforce it well enough. Its not like the SI came in a flash. We still use units from the old system here. Only after joining EU we changed horse powers to kWh, and there are still units that are used from the old system e.g. Nautical mile etc (though is accepted to be used along with the SI). And we changed most units in 1886 :P

[Pierrot le Fou]

As stated, the financial strain of changing everything would be absolutely absurd. If the next generation of street signs, gas pumps, scales, and everything else were 'bilingual' in that sense, and then the generation after that were forced to be metric only, we could change it. But the cost would still be ridiculously high.

[El_CJ]

In Canada, at least from what I've seen, Imperial measurements (weight, height, drink sizes) are simply either A: Holdovers from the Imperial system, as our parents raised us on Feet and Pounds, that's how tall and heavy we are.
Or B: The fact that alot of our crap comes from the United States, which is why I can buy a 32 oz slurpee instead of a 1 litre slurpee.
ALL "official" measurements are in Metric, like on your drivers' license.
I vastly prefer Metric. That is all.

[Hatsumomo]

I do recall that back in the early 1980s, they tried to switch America over, but as somebody else said, it was a miserable failure.

For the sake of traveling and cooking purposes, I wish America would switch to metric. They taught us metric from elementary school until whenever you stopped basic math and went to algebra, geometry, and statistics. The only time outside of that was in chemistry class. Being as how I absolutely SUCK ASS at math, I just couldn't understand the metric system.

[Josh]

Guilders friggin rock.

Anyway, I dont see why they dont start teaching the Metric System in schools along side the American Customary Units and then just gradually phase out ACU. It would be so much easier and there wouldn't be so much of a burden to replace all the signs immediately.

And by teach in school, I mean make it as important to master as the ACU. Then we invade canada...

[Urban~Ninja]

If the Irish couldnt take over Canada....(they tried twice), what hope does America have!

[seiji]

If the Irish couldnt take over Canada....(they tried twice), what hope does America have!
Why, my dear boy...
The fact that alot of our crap comes from the United States, which is why I can buy a 32 oz slurpee instead of a 1 litre slurpee.
...we already have! :stirthepo

[Trump]

They do teach metric, but since everything outside of school is not metric it doesn't stick. I wish we'd switch to metric. It is sooo much easier! Granted I'm an engineer and deal with drawings and dimensions that range from 20" to 10nm so... sigh... The biggest shortcoming of the customary system is that it doesn't handle small things very well. There is nothing smaller than an ounce, or teaspoon, or inch, or .... It is wierd to see thing in millionths of an inch and some of the machines deal with that. It's all confusing.

I do think temperature is the most screwed up of them all.

Here's a doozy for you. In the US, you have gasoline in USdollars per gallon. Now drive up to Canada and you have gasoline in Canadian dollars per liter. I just put in my credit card, pumped the gas and left before I looked at a thermometer and my brain melted.

[Kass]

All you guys bashing America for using the Imperial system need to take a look at the name. Imperial. It's a British system of measurement and is still used in some trades in Britain, carpentry for example. Last time I checked, all my British friends still measure their weight in "stones" as well. What the bloody hell is a stone?

I personally would love the metric system to take hold. It's all dividing by tens. Easiest math in the world.

[mamba]

a stone is 14 pounds.

and jsut to poke fun at the metric system (even though its good :P)

Quoting The definitive article*: (eddie izzard)
We have a fascination with flying, hang-gliding is the closest we’ve got. There’s a cliff near where I used to go to school, in Beachy Head, and it’s a big, chocolate, 300, 400-foot, maybe a mile high, who knows? We certainly don’t, ‘cause we have no idea. Well, we’re metric now, so 30 cubic litres high, all right?

[Kass]

A stone is 14 pounds. Okay, that pretty much shoots the Europe is better because they use the metric system argument in the foot. LOL

[Praetorian]

A stone is 14 pounds. Okay, that pretty much shoots the Europe is better because they use the metric system argument in the foot. LOL
How come?

Wouldn't it be like, three times easier if a stone was just... 10 pounds?

[mamba]

i think its old habbits die hard. and i think briatin is the only country that does the stones thing. but official measurements are done in kgs. i remember the law passing that meant shopkeepers had to sell fruit an dveg ect but the kg rather than by the pound as they were doing. its not been a pain at all.

[whispering]

A stone is 14 pounds. Okay, that pretty much shoots the Europe is better because they use the metric system argument in the foot. LOL
Britain is not Europe :P

[MeneerDijk]

I don't really think one system is better than the other, The americans are used to the imperial system and are doing fine with it, and we use the metric system and we are doing fine with it. I guess it would just be easier to have everyone using SI units.

[kilreli]

we americans cant change from imperial...or darth vader will force rape us.....:box:

my jokes suck...:gloomy:

[Kass]

How come?

Because they don't exclusively use the metric system, so the argument is flawed.

Wouldn't it be like, three times easier if a stone was just... 10 pounds?

See my comment about how I like the metric system because the math is easier.

For all the "America is behind the times" comments, we aren't the only ones apparently. Britain still, by law, uses imperial measurements for precious metals, beer, road sign distances and speed limits.

Canada went more wholesale to the metric system, though international trading of precious metals is still only done in the troy ounce.

[Neon Pink Shoehorn]

I don't really think one system is better than the other, The americans are used to the imperial system and are doing fine with it, and we use the metric system and we are doing fine with it. I guess it would just be easier to have everyone using SI units.
erm....
the US once had a failed space mission because someone converted the specs from metric to imperial. yay for mass lossages of money.

now nasa deals strictly in metric.
linky:
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric/

[mamba]

wasnt it that the person calculated in one measurement then programmed in the other, so instead of landing softly on the surface, it decided to mine all the way to mole people of the planet.

[Neon Pink Shoehorn]

erm, dude, it was an orbiter. which are rather tricky to calculate, whatever measurement units you use. you have about a 2% room for error, and I suppse in converting, it got lost.
conversiins FTL

[Trump]

I read a neat 10 page article about that. It basically listed all of the problems with that mission from before launch. The units conversion was only a minor problem and could/should have been corrected long before it affected things. The article was in IEEEs Spectrum magazine about 6? years ago I think. I doubt it is online (without some sort of password on IEEEs site).

[Kyoushu]

I'm trying to become "bilingual" and able to use both U.S. standard and metric, but I'm obviously biased towards the former, being raised on it. Metric is so much more logical though!

[Jiant Flying Panda]

So it would be extremely difficult for the enemy to convert our things into their own.

Remember how hard it was for Russia to convert the Flying Fortresses? Yeah.

[Jay]

I use both.

I'm about 6'4" and 240 pounds, but it's 900km from here to Perth.

I really should learn both one day. :meh:

[paul]

I use both.

I'm about 6'4" and 240 pounds, but it's 900km from here to Perth.

I really should learn both one day. :meh:

Thats actually how it is in Canada. Well, either that way, or all metric, because of all the immigrants.

[PopCulturePooka]

I use both.

I'm about 6'4" and 240 pounds, but it's 900km from here to Perth.

I really should learn both one day. :meh:
You're about the only Aussie I know who gives his weight in pounds.

[harper]

I mainly use the Imperial system in everyday things because that's how America is set up, but I'm comfortable with either system. Most of my students suck at both systems of units, though. I think we'll eventually see the U.S switch to metric, but it will be a long time coming. Personally, I don't see that there is a lot of incentive for the U.S. to change. How exactly does the change benefit the average person? It may benefit them in some ways, but not in any really major way.

I am also comfortable with Fahrenheit/Celsius/Kelvin units, though I do find myself mentally converting from Celsius to Fahrenheit sometimes.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I'm sure it would be easier if a stone was 10 pounds instead of 14, but you have to realize that these systems of weights and measures were not used for the sake of making science easy to do, they were made to create a standard of weights and measures prior to hardcore science.

This is as absurd as stating that English has too many irregular verbs, and it would be so much easier if everything just conjugated normally. This is the same argument in principle, just a subject that less people care about.

[chad mullet]

Britain is not Europe :P

Thank God!

[harper]

It reminds me of the movement to try and get everyone to speak Esperanto. That sure worked pretty well, didn't it.

[chad mullet]

It reminds me of the movement to try and get everyone to speak Esperanto. That sure worked pretty well, didn't it.

Damned right - Ĉu vi parolas Esperanton?

[Ichisan]

And in GB I take a size 12 shoe - or 11 if it's a certain type of trainer - in America that's size 13, in mms that's - I don't know - 285?, and in continental Europe it's, what, 45? Forget it, I'm just going to have to try on 3 different sizes and see what fits no matter where I am.

[TLab3000]

Metric, please. It's logical and easy.

I can't get the Celsius scale. I grew up on Fahrenheit, and these Japanese metric weather reports confuse me.

I think the Fahrenheit scale is pretty, well, you know. I mean, there's this guy, he's got a thermometer and wants to put a scale on it. He thinks about what's 0° gonna be and he doesn't like to use negative numbers for whatever reason. Fortunately, it's damn cold there in Danzig that winter. He takes the thermometer outside, and says something like "Hey, that's gonna be my 0°, because there's no way that anything could be coulder than the air right now."
Then he thinks about what's 100° gonna be and prolly shoves the damn thing up his, uhm, for scientific reasons, of course. That's his 100°.
Air temperature - body temperature. Relation? Unless you're dead - none.

Oh yeah, very scientific. Take the Celsius scale - water freezes at 0° and boils at 100° (roughly, depending on air pressure and if there are still salts or such in the water). Everybody can do it. With Fahrenheit, on the other hand, you had to travel back 300 years in time and to Danzig and once you're there...

And he still has negative numbers, because *surprise* there are things colder than a cold day in Danzig. :bang:

[Beer Pope]

That's why I measure everything in Kelvin.

For the record, Fahrenheit's 0 point is the freezing point of salt water. How the rest of the system came about is beyond me.

[Der Moe]

That's why I measure everything in Kelvin.

For the record, Fahrenheit's 0 point is the freezing point of salt water. How the rest of the system came about is beyond me.

nope, TLab is right (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit). Fahrenheit mixed salty water under Laboratory conditions in Order to reach the -17,8 °C outside Temperature in Danzig. Because there isnt such thing as a salty water. the more salt in the water, the lower the freezing temperature (try it at home using ice and salt, but dont use too much salt... It gets quite cold.). Just for the record...

edit: Oh, and irt topic: metric is beautiful. Everything is so calculateable(?). Great.

[setrict]

Metric is by far the best now, because it's the most practical unit of measurement to do calculations with. Imperial is a relic of the past when _it_ was the most practical system of measurement due to the lack of measuring devices. A "foot" is obvious, a "yard" was roughly the stride of a person, and inch the width of a grown mans thumb. A mile was how far a roman legion could march in 2000 steps, yadda, yadda, yadda. These made sense for the times when actual measuring tools were rare, and a man is far more likely to have a thumb available than a ruler. Exception: clumsy carpenters.

It's time to leave the imperial units to museums, and move on.

[Beer Pope]

nope, TLab is right (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit). Fahrenheit mixed salty water under Laboratory conditions in Order to reach the -17,8 °C outside Temperature in Danzig. Because there isnt such thing as a salty water. the more salt in the water, the lower the freezing temperature (try it at home using ice and salt, but dont use too much salt... It gets quite warm.). Just for the record...

edit: Oh, and irt topic: metric is beautiful. Everything is so calculateable(?). Great.

You realize that the wikipedia article you're linking to(or trying to) states that nobody knows how exactly the Fahrenheit scale was created, right? Both stories are correct until we come up with a way to channel the dead.

Also, in this case, salt water refers to a mixture of 1 part salt, 1 part water. Freezing/Melting point of 0 degrees Fahrenheit exactly.

[Der Moe]

IRT Beer pope:
Sorry, I read the corresponding german article which is different from the one I postet (because i didnt find the german link useful for you guys :D). in the German article is no doubt about the outdoor temperature version... So, as you stated, both storys are true. Not that I really care anyways, because I use °C, but thats another story.
oh, and thanks for mentioning the broken link, fixed it.

[chad mullet]

And in GB I take a size 12 shoe - or 11 if it's a certain type of trainer - in America that's size 13, in mms that's - I don't know - 285?, and in continental Europe it's, what, 45? Forget it, I'm just going to have to try on 3 different sizes and see what fits no matter where I am.

Big feet no matter what country you're in.

[Pierrot le Fou]

This is becoming ridiculous.

I'm going to let all the non-Imperial folks in on a secret -- nobody who uses imperial actually believes that it makes more sense than metric. We are just used to it. And since there is no way in Hell that we can change overnight or acquaint everyone with metric immediately, not to mention massive costs, it isn't going to change.

I'm sure it will, eventually, but it will take time. So why worry about it?

[harper]

I think we should go back to using cubits and the like (palms, fists, remen, etc.). The problem then becomes which cubit to choose. hmmm......

[seiji]

I think we should go back to using cubits and the like (palms, fists, remen, etc.). The problem then becomes which cubit to choose. hmmm......
I'm going to start measuring myself in cubits/spans/palms/somethingmoreobsoletethanfeet and stones, making myself instantly taller and thinner. Though I wouldn't be taller than inches. Or centimeters. But I would be lighter than pounds! I don't even know how much I weigh anyway.

When I was but a child...I knew what pounds were, and I knew what lbs. were, but I couldn't wrap my head around the connection. For about twelve years of my life, I read "lbs." in my head as "lillibeeters". Still do sometimes. :innocent:

[Hiigarasjet]

As grandpa simpson once wisely put it "the metric systems the tool of the devil"
wait a minute im aussie....^&#*#

[whispering]

How do people in US measure really short or really long distances in e.g. science? Do you just add the zero's as many as needed?
And since there is no way in Hell that we can change overnight or acquaint everyone with metric immediately, not to mention massive costs, it isn't going to change.
I guess it would be a little bit like forcing British people to drive on the right side of the road :p

[Trump]

Yes, for example some of the drawings here at work specify like 0.005 inches. Some of the machines have tolerances down to the millionth of an inch.

[Neon Pink Shoehorn]

you know, I remember arguing with a friend from iceland (if England isn't Europe, is Iceland?) about the length of an inch in comparision to the length of a centimetre. Turns out, after getting the calc out... we were both right. hahaha

[MNJetter]

Ooh, I think I'm going to measure my weight in stones now. The only type of measurement where my weight is less than my age! :D

I've been in Japan for only 10 months, and I've had no problem getting used to metric. Especially celcius temperature readings. I forced myself to get used to them without converting to the system I'm used to. I still have a hard time converting between them, but creating a direct sensory pathway between metric and the concept of distance/size/weight/etc. has made it just as easy for me to do either one.

I personally don't see what the extra cost would be to start replacing old road signs and stuff with "bilingual" Imperial/Metric ones. We don't have to replace stuff really quickly - just as they age naturally and need to be replaces - but I think we should make an effort to start. I don't know about other states, but Minnesota doesn't seem to have made any efforts at all to change, aside from teaching metric in schools.

[Ichisan]

How do people in US measure really short or really long distances in e.g. science? Do you just add the zero's as many as needed?

I guess it would be a little bit like forcing British people to drive on the right side of the road :p

We do drive on the right side of the road. We drive on the right side and all you other countries drive on the wrong side. :D

Except Australia, Japan, India and other sensible countries.

[whispering]

you know, I remember arguing with a friend from iceland (if England isn't Europe, is Iceland?) about the length of an inch in comparision to the length of a centimetre. Turns out, after getting the calc out... we were both right. hahaha
No you misunderstood me, i sayd Britain isnt Europe, like Mexico doesnt equal to North America. Part of Europe, not Europe.

[MNJetter]

We do drive on the right side of the road. We drive on the right side and all you other countries drive on the wrong side.

Except Australia, Japan, India and other sensible countries.

Yeah, but in left-side-of-the-road countries, the steering wheel is on the wrong side, so all you poor right-handed suckers can't drive with one hand while you have the other draped out the window in proper redneck fashion.

:D

[Jetsetlemming]

I actually fully understand Metric as well as the American units, but I prefer my homeland's measurements. Illogical Pride! Actually, it's because the metric system doesn't have a unit close to the absolute perfection that is the foot. Anything and everything can be measured in feet, or maybe inches, which are also perfect. From people's heights, to building heights, to bridge spans.... Yep. The foot FTW.

[Kwiz]

How do people in US measure really short or really long distances in e.g. science? Do you just add the zero's as many as needed?

Last time I checked, we dumb Americans know how to use scientific notation too.

[whispering]

Last time I checked, we dumb Americans know how to use scientific notation too.
I'm not sure what you mean with scientific notation? All i wanted to know is how would you display long distances e.g. how far earth is from the sun, or small measurements like nanometre in the American system (to which Trump already answered). No where in my post did i refer to "dumb americans".

[Kwiz]

Oh, the same notation system that's used internationally. I'm sorry - nothing was meant by the "dumb Americans" gag.

(from Wikipedia)

* An electron's mass is about 0.00000000000000000000000000000091093826 kg. In scientific notation, this is written 9.1093826×10−31 kg.
* The Earth's mass is about 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg. In scientific notation, this is written 5.9736×1024 kg.

[whispering]

the same notation system that's used internationally.
Thats what i was wondering about, since e.g. the Earth page on wiki use SI baseunits, so if Americans are using these, then they are using the metric system o_O

Also i think e.g. that Earths mass is written wrong, i was teached that it should be displayed as 5 973,6Yg (yottagram) :teacher:

[Kwiz]

We don't use SI baseunits... which I regret just as much as the majority here, but it seems that people at least understand everyday metric figures. When I tell one of my friends that something was 15 cm wide, they get the picture.

Then again, that's probably just because I insist so much on them comprehending metric ..

[Trump]

I drive a manual, so I can drive just as well one-handed with either hand.

[Jetsetlemming]

Thats what i was wondering about, since e.g. the Earth page on wiki use SI baseunits, so if Americans are using these, then they are using the metric system o_O

Also i think e.g. that Earths mass is written wrong, i was teached that it should be displayed as 5 973,6Ym (yottagram) :teacher:
not only are Metric units used for the sciences, but it's being taught in science classes to American students. I doubt we'll ever get rid of our feet and inches (because we love them so), but we'll get along with your distances just fine. Weight, mass, and temperature are a bit harder, though....

[Soli]

I like the imperial system because the names are easier for me. The other names sound too much the same. :box:

[Mechs]

This is becoming ridiculous.

I'm going to let all the non-Imperial folks in on a secret -- nobody who uses imperial actually believes that it makes more sense than metric. We are just used to it. And since there is no way in Hell that we can change overnight or acquaint everyone with metric immediately, not to mention massive costs, it isn't going to change.

I'm sure it will, eventually, but it will take time. So why worry about it?

Pierrot le Fou hit the nail on the head.

I really see as a "if it ain't broke, why fix it" kinda thing. You have your way, we have ours. If you need to convert one to the other, then whip out that calculator and get to it. I really don't see why we should convert other than making stuff easier for the rest of the world.

Plus the names of them things get me confused. Nano- Mega-, Kilo-, Deca-, Centi-,mili-, Yotta-: TOO MUCH TO REMEMBER!! (Thats why I like KISS (Keep it simple stupid). Inches, feet, yards, miles, so much more simple to me) Other than in a science experiment, why would i need to know what a Nano is? Now that I think about it. Why don't we just leave the Metric to science and Imperial to everyday life? Makes things a bit easier to me.

[羽之助]

Checking stuff around, I found an interesting timeline. Canada has been slowly turning metric for the past 50 years, and we're pretty comfortable with using both. If someone says it's 70 degrees outside, I think "it's kind of cool", and 100 is "hot". Everyone I know in Canada says "25" or "35", though.

http://members.shaw.ca/gw.peterson/timeline.html

It doesn't happen overnight, and you can't force people to use it, but everything turns out in the long run.

I really don't see why we should convert other than making stuff easier for the rest of the world.


Leela: You should pay more attention. This election will determine who will be the president of the world!
Fry: Why should I care? I live in the United States!
Leela: But the United States is part of the world.
Fry: Wow, times HAVE changed!

[Vic_Rattlehead]

I use:
feet - inches - metres - miles
grams - kilograms - Stone - tonnes
Centigrade
etc

Hey, at least we're all not using cupids

[japanat]

I hate baking cakes in Japan from American cake mixes produced in Australia. 1 cup = 200/240/250ml, 1Tbls= 15ml/20ml/?

Flat cakes, poofy flat breads -- I'm a bad-enough cook w/o measurement confulsion!!

[Trump]

Pierrot le Fou hit the nail on the head.

I really see as a "if it ain't broke, why fix it" kinda thing. You have your way, we have ours. If you need to convert one to the other, then whip out that calculator and get to it. I really don't see why we should convert other than making stuff easier for the rest of the world.

Plus the names of them things get me confused. Nano- Mega-, Kilo-, Deca-, Centi-,mili-, Yotta-: TOO MUCH TO REMEMBER!! (Thats why I like KISS (Keep it simple stupid). Inches, feet, yards, miles, so much more simple to me) Other than in a science experiment, why would i need to know what a Nano is? Now that I think about it. Why don't we just leave the Metric to science and Imperial to everyday life? Makes things a bit easier to me.

Huh? How is Nano- Mega- etc harder? At least they only mean one distinct thing. I mean ounces can be either weight or volume. On top of that there are 8 ounces to a cup and then 16 ounces to a pound. Pounds are units of both weight and mass though no one really uses it for mass. There are far too many measures for volume that are totally random like there are three teaspoons to a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons to a cup. I guess that makes them half an ounce (back to ounces again sigh). Then we have two cups to a pint, two pints to a quart, four quarts to a gallon. Not to mention the really messed up agricultural units like barrels and bales and other things. And if that's not enough don't get into the derived units like horsepower!

Good god that made my head hurt ... and I live in the US.

[chad mullet]

Huh? How is Nano- Mega- etc harder? At least they only mean one distinct thing. I mean ounces can be either weight or volume. On top of that there are 8 ounces to a cup and then 16 ounces to a pound. Pounds are units of both weight and mass though no one really uses it for mass. There are far too many measures for volume that are totally random like there are three teaspoons to a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons to a cup. I guess that makes them half an ounce (back to ounces again sigh). Then we have two cups to a pint, two pints to a quart, four quarts to a gallon. Not to mention the really messed up agricultural units like barrels and bales and other things. And if that's not enough don't get into the derived units like horsepower!

Good god that made my head hurt ... and I live in the US.

You would have enjoyed our pre-decimal currency in the UK - I couldn't get enough of it!

[CrazyAce86]

And why does America insist on using a stupid measurement system that defies logic and easy to understand math?

Because it's America. Do you really need any other explanation?

I was telling a friend of mine that on every border, national and state, of the US there should be this sign:

WELCOME TO AMERICA

PLEASE LEAVE
YOUR
COMMON SENSE
HERE

AND TRY
NOT
TO ASK
QUESTIONS

THANK YOU
AND
ENJOY YOUR
STAY

[Peterbilt]

The main flaw of the Imperial system is that units are not logically related to each other. There is no way in hell that an average American can convert inches into gallons or inches into pounds. I am not even sure if most Americans know that there are 5280 feet in a mile.

On the other hand, let's assume that I am left with only a metre ruler with a very detailed scale up to a millimetre. Nothing else, just this ruler. We need to introduce a way to measure the volume, the weight, the land area, and the force in the most convenient way for people. No problem! We will use this only ruler in order to derive the rest of the stuff. For a simplicity, we agree that all our measurements should have a base of 10 to any power (e.g. 10^3, 10^-2, etc). Length. 1cm = 0.01m, 1km = 1000m, 1mm = 0.001m, and so on.

Volume. We set up a cubic container that measures 10cm x 10cm x 10 cm and fill it up with water. Voila! We have a litre. Consequently, one milliliter will be a container that measures 1 cubic cm.

Weight. Let's agree that 1 litre of water will weigh 1 kg. Hence, 1 gramme corresponds to 1 mL of water.

Land Area. How much land a person can own? 1 square metre is not enough, and so is 10m x 10m. But 100m x 100m seems just right for a typical residence. There you have a hectare! Thus, 1 ha = 100m x 100m

Force. Since the force is defined as mass times acceleration toward Earth's gravity (which is 10 m/s²), we agree to define a unit of force as the force that 100 grammes apply on the Earth's surface. Let's call it one Newton. Why 100 grammes and not 1 kg? One kg will be a bit too heavy. Thus, by feeling how much 100 grammes (100 mL of water) weighs in your hand, you will get a rough idea of 1 Newton.

I hope you get my idea. For example, if all quarter or pint or gallon containers (along with cups and spoons) disappeared from the face of the Earth, how would you measure the volume? What I want to show you is that metric system is not a cold-blooded emotionless scentific system but rather a natural and easy calculated way to measure different things that surround us.

I myself was born in a metric country, but then moved to the USA at the age of 18. I learned how to drive a car in America and had to use feet and inches very often to measure my own height, and pounds - to measure my weight. Because of all that, I fidn myself measuring short distance exclusively in metres, but long ones - in miles. I measure the weight of fruits in kg, but my own weight - in pounds. Same for my height. I can use C or F equally well. However, I still cannot imagine how much a foot, a pound, and an acre are? :)

[skip01]

Thanks a lot you blasted imperial system. Now whenever I have to use american textbooks I get weird units like foot-pounds shoved in my face. What the hell is a chain or a rod?? A slug? Square feet, square inches? Conversions are really fun with these. :bored:

[harper]

The main flaw of the Imperial system is that units are not logically related to each other. There is no way in hell that an average American can convert inches into gallons or inches into pounds. I am not even sure if most Americans know that there are 5280 feet in a mile.


Why would you want to convert between inches and either gallons or pounds. Inches is a unit of distance whereas gallons is used for volume and pounds for weight. Cubic inches could be converted into gallons, though.

I teach my students that there are 63360 inches in a mile in addition to 5280 feet in a mile. When we do conversions for anuglar or linear velocity, it is a bit quicker to use a single conversion rather than two smaller ones.

[skip01]

Yeah, that doesn't make sense at all. How would you convert centimetres into litres, or centimetres into kilograms? You don't:frypan:

[WiNDLoRD]

Yeah, that doesn't make sense at all. How would you convert centimetres into litres, or centimetres into kilograms? You don't:frypan:

10cm x 10 cm x 10 cm = 1 cubic decimeter = 1 liter

1 liter (of water) = 1000 cm^3

1 liter (of water) = 1 kg

ergo

1 kg = 1000 cm^3 (of water)

it's true tho that nobody would say that he bought 1000 watery cubic centimetres of bread :P It's possible tho.

[Ichisan]

Yeah, but in left-side-of-the-road countries, the steering wheel is on the wrong side, so all you poor right-handed suckers can't drive with one hand while you have the other draped out the window in proper redneck fashion.

:D

Why not? That's how I used to drive back when I had a van delivery job in the summers.

This reminds me of a Kiwi I met who thought left-hand drive cars must be hard to drive because the gearstick is on the wrong side. It's actually just as easy to steer and to change gears with either hand.

[Trump]

I've gotten decent at hanging my arm out the window with the hand that is on the wheel.

[Peterbilt]

Why would you want to convert between inches and either gallons or pounds. Inches is a unit of distance whereas gallons is used for volume and pounds for weight.
Suppose you don't have a gallon container, but you desperately need to get a gallon of something. Since you are a mathematics instructor, you would probably come up with some idea, but most of people would not even if they had a ruler. On the contrary, any person who uses metric units in everyday life (including people completely retarted in maths) will give you a litre using only cantimetres. Same goes for weight. For such people, metric is a natural and the only familiar system even though most of Americans consider it over-complicated and scientific one. And I wouldn't say that a typical European farmer is more advanced or more intelligent than an American one.

[harper]

Suppose you don't have a gallon container, but you desperately need to get a gallon of something. Since you are a mathematics instructor, you would probably come up with some idea.

Yep, I'd go up to K-Mart and buy a gallon container so I'd be all set. :D

[Druid]

Walyworld(walmart)>K-mart

[harper]

I think Walmart sucks and almost never shop there. I find their store layout, friendliness of staff, and selection of product inferior to K-Mart and Target.

[Trump]

Walmart is like a cesspool of people I don't want to be around. They are the kind of person who go shopping in their bathing suit when they have no right to wear one and then they argue for 20 minutes over a 50 cent coupon. I walked into Walmart in a suit once (needed something for an interview) and I felt more out of place than I had ever felt.