Many centimeters and many, many millimeters. I wonder what typical household items are typically one centimeter or one millimete?
Mate, a 102cm TV is lots more impressive (2.5 times more) than a dinky little 40 inch one...
Many centimeters and many, many millimeters. I wonder what typical household items are typically one centimeter or one millimete?
And it isn't just the units. Look at screw threads and see how many there are - even if the number in new products is fairly small. The subtle differences have often resulted in damage or failure to hold properly.
The modest number of metric threads means they are much easier to identify with certainty.
All too often, US goods used in other countries are bodged by people using metric screws.
One day, someone will realise that a vast proportion of goods are manufactured to metric specifications. Even in the USA.
My suggestion was to get everyone to agree that children born in 2000 or later would learn the metric system as their primary units.
I have always managed both (Imperial and SI/metric). Learned both systems in and out of school but, thankfully, all science was in SI.The reason the U.S. isn't on the metric system is simple: The world didn't listen to me in 1999.
My suggestion was to get everyone to agree that children born in 2000 or later would learn the metric system as their primary units. They would also learn the U.S. customary units so they could translate for their parents, just as many second generation immigrants learn English and translate for their first generation immigrant parents.
This first metric generation would teach their own children the metric system and nothing else. Problem solved!
I'll suggest it again in 2999.
Great answer!Being from the UK, I use (like most of us) use a hybrid system.
Ask me how much I weigh, it's stone and lbs.
How tall am I? It's ft and inches.
If I go go the pub I drink pints.
My car does MPH
But if I buy wood, I'd measure in CM's.
If I ran a race it would be in Meters.
Cooking could go either way.
As for temperature my brain can do it both ways, but generally it's C.
Time I can do either or.
Well, maybe the US "founders" listened to the Apple commercials about, "be different"? I was born in one of those "green color regions," but adapted in a short period of time to the "red color regions." I don't have a problem with one of the other measuring system.Almost every other country in the world, including China.
There are 7.4 billion people in the world, 3 countries do not use Metric. 2 of them are third world.
http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/metric-map-which-countries-dont-belong-with-the-others/
And amongst those who do not use metric, you don't even use the same measures for gallons and who even knows what else.
Every single one of those countries did not start out with Metric, every single one of them managed to convert.
It is not a big deal regardless of how one feels about it. Isn't it nice for the masses have the freedom to speak and measure things the way they like?Ok, so I might be in the minority here, but I AGREE with the OP here. Mostly for temperature, weight, and distance.
I also agree that is would be a big pain in the arse in the beginning, but for liquid measurement , many company's are already putting both measurements on the container. Also, I wish the US would make the change because in the worlds theatres, it would be easier for everyone. But any measurement based on the number 10, is much easier than our imperial system. Speaking of which, we have been using the metric system for money for 200 plus years. Seems pretty easy to me.
I can only imagine a doctor asking me to "urinate" 29.574 milliliters in the urinalysis cup. One ounce is much easier to relate to. The same at the kitchen cooking or baking. in this case I prefer the "American way" of measuring as follows (quoted from the web address above):United States customary units (UCS) are a system of measurements used in the United States (US). UCS originated from English units (not to be confused with imperial units) which were used by the British Empire starting as early as 1495 and continued to be used in the UK up until replacement by the imperial system in 1824. While UCS is primarily used for commercial, social, and personal applications, the US uses the International System of Units (SI) in many other areas including science, medicine, industry, the government, and the military.
- teaspoon (symbol: tsp) – 4.929 milliliters
- tablespoon (symbol: tbsp) – 14.787 milliliters
- fluid ounce (symbol: fl oz) – 29.574 milliliters
- cup (symbol: cp) – 236.588 milliliters
- pint (symbol: pt) – 473.176 milliliters
- quart (symbol: qt) – 946.353 milliliters
- gallon (symbol: gal) – 3785.41 milliliters
There was a recent Planet Money podcast episode that discussed a related case of switching to the metric system and the costs involved. It's the reason why to this day Eastern Canadian provinces sells milk in plastic bags instead of jugs. When they switched to the metric system, the costs involved of changing all of the packaging to metric resulted in the decision being made to use plastic bags to sell milk instead of more solid containers.
They don't go into detail about what kind of costs would be involved for the US to go the same route, but mention that the incredible costs of switching to be one of the key reasons why we haven't done it.
Of Memestocks and Milk Bags : Planet Money
We answer your questions about memestocks, milk in bags, the size of cereal boxes, and products exclusive to the rich, but not for long? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.www.npr.org
For cooking, excluding the fact that most Europeans measure solids by weight, cups/pints/ounces are much easier for doubling and halving since it, nominally, is a base 2 system.Ok, so I might be in the minority here, but I AGREE with the OP here. Mostly for temperature, weight, and distance.
I also agree that is would be a big pain in the arse in the beginning, but for liquid measurement , many company's are already putting both measurements on the container. Also, I wish the US would make the change because in the worlds theatres, it would be easier for everyone. But any measurement based on the number 10, is much easier than our imperial system. Speaking of which, we have been using the metric system for money for 200 plus years. Seems pretty easy to me.
Well, maybe the US "founders" listened to the Apple commercials about, "be different"? I was born in one of those "green color regions," but adapted in a short period of time to the "red color regions." I don't have a problem with one of the other measuring system.
Some countries used UK imperial units before they went metric, but many other countries used their own non-imperial units. Some still do for some units, such as the rai for land measurement in Thailand. Some customary units used in the USA are imperial (feet, inches etc), and some are different from imperial units despite having somewhat imperial names (US gallon v imperial gallon for instance).Most countries were imperial before they were metric.
It isn't just about measuring stuff, metric is just so much better for conversions; if you do any sort of science or engineering, metric makes sense with its powers of ten and things like 1000 cubic centimeters and litres being interchangable. I mean i know for example that a 10x10x10cm cube is 1L in volume. And that 1L container can hold 1kg of water. Or that 1 cubic metre of water is 1 metric tonne.
Or, 1km = 1,000m = 1,000,000 mm.
Imperial simply does not make sense for conversions like this.
Perusing this thread though i am stunned that dual labeled rulers, measuring tapes, etc. are not commonplace over in the USA. Here in metric countries pretty much any measuring device does both imperial and metric. I guess selling measuring devices in the country that do both as a matter of course would be a good first step.
Which would be extremely stupid.I can only imagine a doctor asking me to "urinate" 29.574 milliliters in the urinalysis cup.
Agree with most except the bolded part, can't even remember when the last last time I saw a dual system measuring tape/rule was. (NL)Most countries were imperial before they were metric.
It isn't just about measuring stuff, metric is just so much better for conversions; if you do any sort of science or engineering, metric makes sense with its powers of ten and things like 1000 cubic centimeters and litres being interchangable. I mean i know for example that a 10x10x10cm cube is 1L in volume. And that 1L container can hold 1kg of water. Or that 1 cubic metre of water is 1 metric tonne.
Or, 1km = 1,000m = 1,000,000 mm.
Imperial simply does not make sense for conversions like this.
Perusing this thread though i am stunned that dual labeled rulers, measuring tapes, etc. are not commonplace over in the USA. Here in metric countries pretty much any measuring device does both imperial and metric. I guess selling measuring devices in the country that do both as a matter of course would be a good first step.
Imperial and older systems also include a vast collection of units which are (almost) totally ignored. Few actually use roods, chains, poles, gills, etc., in their everyday lives.Most countries were imperial before they were metric.
It isn't just about measuring stuff, metric is just so much better for conversions; if you do any sort of science or engineering, metric makes sense with its powers of ten and things like 1000 cubic centimeters and litres being interchangable. I mean i know for example that a 10x10x10cm cube is 1L in volume. And that 1L container can hold 1kg of water. Or that 1 cubic metre of water is 1 metric tonne.
Or, 1km = 1,000m = 1,000,000 mm.
Imperial simply does not make sense for conversions like this.
Perusing this thread though i am stunned that dual labeled rulers, measuring tapes, etc. are not commonplace over in the USA. Here in metric countries pretty much any measuring device does both imperial and metric. I guess selling measuring devices in the country that do both as a matter of course would be a good first step.
I like the Imperial system. Maybe it's because I love spewing four letter words: twip, thou, inch, foot, hand, yard, mile, gill, pint, rood, acre.😏😁
Why does it matter to you? We use what we like use and you use what you like to use. Do you see us bitching why you use the metric system?
We don't care what you system you use and we like our system.
Now go to bed since it's 1 AM (which is ironic since you should have said 01:00 )
Imperial and older systems also include a vast collection of units which are (almost) totally ignored. Few actually use roods, chains, poles, gills, etc., in their everyday lives.
Those who favour old systems very often miss out many units, and inconsistencies. For example, a stone (weight) can be anything from about 7 to 15 pounds. And a fluid ounce doesn't weigh an ounce.