The Metric System

[ElkNight]

The metric system is the devil.

 

 

 

Really, I find the most evidence of the devil in the imperial system:

 

 

 

Simply put: 1 foot, divided in half is 6. 3 feet in a yard. So 3 6's = 666 Satan!

 

.....Oshi

[Tim_Finch]

Another thing to remember about converting is that gravel roads (at least in the Great Plains of the U.S., not sure about anywhere else) are laid out in a grid, each section 1 square mile/1 mile between intersections. Although I don't see any reason for that to cause any problems, so it wouldn't be necessary to change it..

[sphinxor86]

I'm pretty sure that's only in the stubborn US :P

[Racheya]

Another thing to remember about converting is that gravel roads (at least in the Great Plains of the U.S., not sure about anywhere else) are laid out in a grid, each section 1 square mile/1 mile between intersections. Although I don't see any reason for that to cause any problems, so it wouldn't be necessary to change it..

 

You learn something new every day...

[killerbeer0]

 

Really, I find the most evidence of the devil in the imperial system:

 

 

 

Simply put: 1 foot, divided in half is 6. 3 feet in a yard. So 3 6's = 666 Satan!

 

 

 

 

 

LOL, tenuous at best.... :lol: But I'm very inclined to agree!

 

 

 

Well, I was happy I could come up with anything, actually I came up with it really fast... :thumbsup:

[pureprayer]

Ok the U.S. agrees to go to the Metric System but only if we can start calling the base floor, floor one and the second floor, floor two.

[sphinxor86]

I do hate that! In the UK we call the first storey the ground floor, the second storey the first floor... its nonsensical!

 

 

 

It should be first level=first floor.

 

 

 

It probably comes from Victorian Brits, being a prim and proper and calling it the "first floor above ground level", and "second floor above ground" etc. Which over time got shortened to just 1st floor, 2nd floor, etc. So now, its silly, floor "zero" is the first level, floor 1 is the second level etc, bonkers.

[bradybunch]

I hypothesize that the British way of naming floors of a building is based on the fact that if a "floor" or "story" = 10 feet, then when you are on the "first floor" (2nd American floor) you are 1 "floor" (~10 feet) above the group. Basically, the distance between two levels of a building is the "story" and not the floor (that part you walk on) of each level.

 

 

 

As for the metric system, I am split about converting to it. On one hand, the metric system is a better system for many reasons. On the other hand, it would be difficult for people to adjust. I suggest a slow change over to the metric system, starting with printing both metric units and US customary (or for Brits UK imperial) units on signs/bottles/anything with units on them and then eventually getting rid of the customary/imperial units.

 

 

 

It should be noted that many US customary (and UK imperial also, I believe) units are now defined according to SI units. For example, one inch is now defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters. The pound (mass) is defined as exactly 453.59237 grams.

[Boris5000]

I went from metric to imperial, there is no way I'm going back!

 

 

 

Theres nothing better than saying you are 6' 1

[sphinxor86]

I went from metric to imperial, there is no way I'm going back!

 

 

 

ZOMG You went the WRONG way?!??!??!?!?!? :?: :? :!:

[Will H]

Us Brits use a mixture of both, with the younger generations being more likely to be familiar with metric and less familiar with imperial. I reckon that in most cases the metric system works better, and we should learn to use them more, but imperial provides some useful units that are difficult to measure otherwise. For example, a pint is a good amount of beer, but can be held in a strong glass that you can easily hold in your hand.

 

 

 

But I think that it would be better to put in kilograms and kilometers, because it's makes more sense.

 

A kilogram is a physical object too. You could hold it in your hands, but i'm sure a bunch of scientists and French officials would stop you first :)

 

What, really? I thought it was based on a litre (a.k.a. cubic decimetre) of pure water. Ah wait, you're right, apparently it's a slab of platinum-iridium alloy, in a vault in France.

 

 

 

[sphinxor86]

"Who keeps the metric system down? We do, we dooo!" - Stonecutters lol :lol:

[RpgGamer]

I can tell the OP is not American, because he expects us to actually do something (beneficial at that). Growing up in America teaches you one thing regarding this: Units of measurement are hard to understand, but it's better than metric. Seriously though, I actually find the imperial system much easier. I tried learning the metric system, but for some reason unknown to me I can multiply by twelves much more effectivly than I can tens. Whenever I convert metrics I always end up going in the wrong direction, or being off by a whole digit (like getting 100 rather than 10.) Once you get past the freaky names, the imperial system isn't so bad. Since the US and UK have so much influence in the world, why doesn't everyone just switch over to our system instead?

 

That's the American way.

[Madmanpur3]

It's not like the imperial system isn't based in logic, it's just that at the time it was invented (which I'm pretty sure was before metric/SI) they simply made it in a way that was most convenient for them.

 

 

 

100 links = 1 Gunther's chain, 1 Gunther's chain = 60 feet, which is also the same as 4 rods.

 

 

 

80 Gunther's chains = 1 mile

 

 

 

10 square Gunther's chains = 1 acre.

 

 

 

As for why they chose 60 ft per chain instead of 100, and 80 chains per mile instead of 100, I'm not sure. But I do know that they had good reasons for deciding upon 60 and 80.

 

 

 

Sure the imperial system is old fashioned, but it still works and always will work. Besides, it's not like you can't choose to learn both systems - hell metric is used for the more advanced science classes here in the US anyways as it's easier to do calculations with.

 

 

 

So let me ask this, what reason does the US have to change? For the convenience of tourists?

[Deiophobus]

Imagine how much the funding would be to change EVERY STREET SIGN IN THE UK/US to the metric system.

 

You made me realise I'm screwed when I want to drive, because I only know Metric. #-o

 

 

 

It's not a language, it's extremely simple to learn another system.

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_system

 

 

 

Skim that and you'll know it.

[ilya]

I can tell the OP is not American, because he expects us to actually do something (beneficial at that). Growing up in America teaches you one thing regarding this: Units of measurement are hard to understand, but it's better than metric. Seriously though, I actually find the imperial system much easier. I tried learning the metric system, but for some reason unknown to me I can multiply by twelves much more effectivly than I can tens. Whenever I convert metrics I always end up going in the wrong direction, or being off by a whole digit (like getting 100 rather than 10.) Once you get past the freaky names, the imperial system isn't so bad. Since the US and UK have so much influence in the world, why doesn't everyone just switch over to our system instead?

 

That's the American way.

 

 

 

HAHAHAHA. HAHAHAHA.

 

 

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

 

 

So typical.

[Wizz]

It's not that hard switching to Metric.

 

 

 

[sphinxor86]

The reason why metric is better is simple: Composite quantities.

 

 

 

Not all Imperial measuring systems have the same base, for example length and mass. So if you want to calculate something like pressure (technically the mass equivalent), you can't simply divide one by the other, you need to convert you length (most likely into inches) and convert your weight (most likely into pounds) before you can calculate the psi pressure. (pounds per square inch)

 

 

 

With metric however, it doesn't matter what size, say tonnes (1000 kg) and an area in cm squared (100cm = 1m, so 100 squared cm squared = 1 m squared, ie: 100000 cm sq = 1m sq). The point is you can divide one by the other immediately and worry about the powers of 10 later....

[thrash-boy]

the metric system is alot more sensible than imperial.

 

yes they should switch, but not this year

 

take it slow, and start labeling everything in both units for a few years. people will soon get the idea

 

 

 

being an aussie the only thing im used to using imperial for is the height of a person. even that is tricky for me though. if someone says someone is 6'4", i cant imagine how high it is very well. i just imagine 6 foot is average.

 

 

 

my dad was in school when australia turned to metric, and he remembers when they suddenly started teaching it. i would imagine every year level would have had to go back to grade 1 for a while lol

 

my nana stills works in imperial (she has some ancient scales that you have to push the thing along the front to balance it, not sure how accurate they are), but my pop being a retired science/math/tech teacher made the switch to metric (it would be hard teaching kids in the late 70's maths and science if you and the kids are using 2 completely different systems)

[Madmanpur3]

My question is - what reasons does the United States even have to switch?

[Distracted]

Because it's just [developmentally delayed]ed that one country has to use imperial like that, while the rest is using metric? Or maybe because a land of 300 million people shouldn't be forcing the rest of the world to switch just so we have the same damn system of measurements. This is one of those things that have always amazed, why the f don't we just get a long when it comes to measuring?

[Kenshinjapan]

Because it's just [developmentally delayed] that one country has to use imperial like that, while the rest is using metric? Or maybe because a land of 300 million people shouldn't be forcing the rest of the world to switch just so we have the same damn system of measurements. This is one of those things that have always amazed, why the f don't we just get a long when it comes to measuring?

 

 

 

That's like telling an entire country to learn a new language, it's not that simple.

 

 

 

I agree with thrash's solution to switch slowly, which we are already doing.

[Riku3220]

Because it's just [developmentally delayed] that one country has to use imperial like that, while the rest is using metric? Or maybe because a land of 300 million people shouldn't be forcing the rest of the world to switch just so we have the same damn system of measurements. This is one of those things that have always amazed, why the f don't we just get a long when it comes to measuring?

 

 

 

That's like telling an entire country to learn a new language, it's not that simple.

 

 

 

I agree with thrash's solution to switch slowly, which we are already doing.

 

It's funny that almost every other country in the world has English classes in primary schools but we only learn Spanish, Latin, German, or French for 2 years in high school. :lol:

[Madmanpur3]

Because it's just [developmentally delayed] that one country has to use imperial like that, while the rest is using metric? Or maybe because a land of 300 million people shouldn't be forcing the rest of the world to switch just so we have the same damn system of measurements. This is one of those things that have always amazed, why the f don't we just get a long when it comes to measuring?

How is it [developmentally delayed]ed? Imperial came first then later on the rest of the world developed an easier system, but at this point the US had no reason to switch. Really, why does the whole world need to use a single system? America doesn't have to switch to metric and the rest of the world doesn't have to switch to imperial.

 

 

 

Seriously, the whole "because it's easier and more logical" argument could be said for many things, including languages and laws. Should all nations switch to the easiest to learn and most logical language (which by the way isn't English)?

[Riku3220]

Because it's just [developmentally delayed] that one country has to use imperial like that, while the rest is using metric? Or maybe because a land of 300 million people shouldn't be forcing the rest of the world to switch just so we have the same damn system of measurements. This is one of those things that have always amazed, why the f don't we just get a long when it comes to measuring?

How is it [developmentally delayed]? Imperial came first then later on the rest of the world developed an easier system, but at this point the US had no reason to switch. Really, why does the whole world need to use a single system? America doesn't have to switch to metric and the rest of the world doesn't have to switch to imperial.

 

 

 

Seriously, the whole "because it's easier and more logical" argument could be said for many things, including languages and laws. Should all nations switch to the easiest to learn and most logical language (which by the way isn't English)?

 

We should all switch to Japanese for pure awesomeness. Every other language can suck it.