Metric or Imperial

[Strawbs]

Im a metric girl all the way.. Australia only teaches metric and it took me atleast six months to remember how many pounds there were to a kilo!!

Jaws only deals in faranheit which I find terribly odd to be honest and makes me think Im married to some really old lady!! ha ha

@DC - Im the other way around - I know I am 164cms tall but only know it in feet and inches when a nurse measures me for a gp registration..

[david_carnell]

@ Strawbs - at least I now know I'm taller than 164cms!!

[Keef]

If they take our pints, they'll start selling 500ml glasses, and we'll lose out on that all important 68ml!!!!!

[david_carnell]

.

[Brendan]

Well they could always just sell 568ml measures.

[Keef]

You'd have thought so wouldn't you, but I suspect they'd go for the half litre and still charge the same.

[SeanMacGabhann]

just to note that it's not just converting between the two systems that causes less-for-same price.. I read this article at the weekend

Honey, they shrank the packets of food

[Strawbs]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> @ Strawbs - at least I now know I'm taller than

> 164cms!!

I most definitely think anyone who sees you would think that!! I am a good measuring stick though it was only this weekend passed that we were measuring how long our new tv stand will be and I had to lay down and pretend I was that said piece of furniture to see how it would all fit!!

We then ran in to trouble when we were trying to work out how long 32 inches was which thankfully is Jaws' inside leg so then she became the measuring stick!

:))

[will dex]

Tip to Strawbs - 32" inch on a TV is diagonal not horizontal - -quite the acrobat?? (ps thanks for the hifi- its great)

[Strawbs]

will dex Wrote:

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> Tip to Strawbs - 32" inch on a TV is diagonal not

> horizontal - -quite the acrobat?? (ps thanks for

> the hifi- its great)

ha ha ha yes Well you know you do the best you can with what youve got!! he he

No problemo, sorry I didnt bring it down myself I was right in the middle of something and couldnt leave the house!! Hope it serves you well..

[Crona]

Apparently, there are 3 main systems of measurement : Metric, Imperial system of measurement and the USA system of measurement. The Imperial is different from the USA (For example, the USA pint has 16 ounces whereas the Imperial pint has 20 ounces)....what a mess!!:-S

Advantages of Metric System

Simplicity.

The Metric system has only 7 basic measures, plus a substantial number of measures using various combinations of these base measures. The imperial system and the USA system have over 300 different measures, of which many are ambiguous. For example, there are eight different definitions of ton (including the 'short ton' and the 'long ton'), all of which differ in weight. There are also eight different definitions of barrel, five different definitions of bushel, three different definitions of mile (international, nautical, and US Survey). The USA gallon is smaller than the Imperial gallon, and all measures which are multiples or subdivisions of the gallon (e.g. pint, quart) likewise are inconsistent between the USA and the UK. Not only are the USA and UK pints different in size, but there are also differences between 'dry pints' and 'liquid pints'.

Ease of calculation.

All the units in the metric system are multiplied by 10 (to make larger units) or divided by 10 (to make smaller units). For example a kilometer is 1000 meters (10 * 10 * 10). It's nearest equivalent is a mile which is 5280 feet (8 * 10 * 22 * 3; based on the calculation that a mile is 8 furlongs, 10 chains to a furlong, 22 yards to a chain, 3 feet to a yard). Although complex calculations can be done using the Imperial or USA system, almost all calculations can be done easier and faster in the metric system.

International Standard.

With the exception of the USA, all major countries have converted to the metric system (although in some countries, such as the UK, the conversion to metric is not yet complete). Consequently, for any international communication (trade, science, etc.) the metric system is the most widely used and accepted.

[david_carnell]

First vaguely interesting thing:

About the ease of calculation for metric measurements, under Napoleon the French had a revolutionary calendar where there were twelve months, each divided into three ten-day weeks called d?cades. The tenth day, d?cadi, replaced Sunday as the day of rest and festivity.

The five or six extra days needed to approximate the solar or tropical year were placed after the months at the end of each year.

Each day was divided into ten hours, each hour into 100 decimal minutes and each decimal minute had 100 decimal seconds. Thus an hour was more than twice as long as a conventional hour; a minute was slightly longer than a conventional minute; and a second was slightly shorter than a conventional second.

Clocks were manufactured to display this decimal time, but it did not catch on and mandatory use was officially suspended April 7, 1795, although some cities continued to use decimal time as late as 1801.

Second much more interesting thing:

A cool site showing the neat-o and somewhat crazy world of scale

Kinda blows your mind.

[Crona]

A & B want to go to Brighton for the weekend

A is in a car who weighs 100 stones, travels with 100 miles per hour under 100 F temperature.

B is in a car who weighs 635 Kg, travels with 160 Km per hour under 38 C temperature.

Which one has better car?? :))

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Sorry David, use of "close vicinity" put me right off.

[citizenED]

"Can I have a five-sixty-eight of Guinness, please". doesn't exactly roll of the tongue.

[Muttley]

Imperial measurements are more intuitive and more natural. The other day my young daughter asked me how long a foot is. "It's about the length of my foot", I said.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Muttley - that post just proves how wrong imperial measures CAN be surely?

[Asset]

It's great I can now say I'm 170cm tall and 60kgs and none of you will have a clue what that means.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Peter Piper picked 9.09218 litres of pickled pepper;

9.09128 litres of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked;

If Peter Piper picked 9.09218 litres of pickled pepper

Where?s the 9.09218 litres of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Amazing how countries with metric even survive isn't it? What with them not having any nursery rhymes or suitable drinking vessels

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

There are places outside of England? Tsk, next you'll be telling me the earth isn't flat.

[Asset]

I was under the impression that a peck was 15grammes, perfectly metric.

[david_carnell]

'Fraid not - it's a volume rather than a weight.

And 4 pecks make a bushel.

Weirdly in Scotland (and this is all from a well known internet encyclopedia) a peck could be either 9 litres or 13 litres according to what you were measuring.

Very reassuring stuff.

[SeanMacGabhann]

It might be metric Asset but it doesn't really scan...

As for the whole debate, I'm more metric than imperial - but then I was brought up in a different country

I think standardisation of measurement is not only a good thing, but eminently desirable. However, as things stand in this country at the moment, I think the balance is right - metric is legally required to be displayed but if people want to use imperial as well they can .

"Metric Martyrs" and the like can f*** right off however - it's just so cringe-making, bone-headed and small-minded. Tilting at windmills and deliberately being petty for the sake of it. Pay them in groats for their bananas and tell them to like it or lump it

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Blimey Sean, still suffering from the stag hangover? A little perspective needed on what is only a fun thread.