Why some people in the US can't understand the metric system.

[Harovan]

Although I don't give a damn about the measurement units used in the USA, I find it funny that they use millimeters or even parts of millimeters to describe small lengths or thicknesses. Obviously using parts of an inch (like 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and alike) is not that good. Their system of units lacks a convenient unit in this range.

[Atahualpa]

I feel comfortable with the metric system.

About speed limits. We have 50kph in city/village, 100kph outside and 130kph on highway.

(converted that would be approx. 31/62/80).

One above said the unit for 10g would be 1dkg thats wrong it is 1dag.

ata

[Main_Brain]

Which System does China use?

[Curiosity]

I grew up working in centimetres, feet, metres and miles. Anything else seems simple after that.

Currently I like the decimeter-kilo-decisecond system. Eliminates most of the insanities of SI. Though I still end up measuring Isp in seconds and pressure in psi.

[Atahualpa]

and shouldnt we all adopt the swatch internet time?

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by MrFun


So your point is that 95% of the world's population are not practical-minded?

?

Not practical minded?



You have decimal numerals and what is, for all intents and purposes, a binary units system.



If you hadn't noticed, those of us who actually deal with these things use metric...

I'm still trying to understand why the kilo is a bad unit of mass, but the pound avoirdupois is good...

[KrazyHorse]

I mass 73 kg, or 161 lbs (as of a week ago)
I am 1.81 metres or 5'11" tall
If placed in water at 20 degrees celsius (68F) I would displace a volume of 73 litres (assuming I float). You figure that out in pints, quarts, gallons and hogsheads....

[KrazyHorse]

Not to mention that your gallon is smaller than the rest of the world's gallon was (back when we used it). Yours is 3.78 litres, everyone else's was ~4.25 litres

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Dissident
the metric system is easy, anyone can learn it.

but that's not the point

in america we have to do things the hard way. if anything, only to piss off the french.

pissing off the french is better than some mars orbital lander crashing.

Glad to see the Americans advocating for their own cultural exception.

[Atahualpa]

This whole America vs France thing looks soooooooo constructed by some idiotic politicians. And of course all the idiotic citizens follow

When i was in France last week I met only nice and friendly people! People were singin "Take my home country road" on the radio and everyone was friendly.

(okay some exceptions exit but overall I am positiv, of course some knowledge of french (4 years in my case) is a prerequisite to have a nice stay).

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by Anun Ik Oba
Yes, pico is smaller. Femto is even smaller.

10000 angstroms = 1µm

[Skanky Burns]

@ America's tiny gallon.

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Although I don't give a damn about the measurement units used in the USA, I find it funny that they use millimeters or even parts of millimeters to describe small lengths or thicknesses. Obviously using parts of an inch (like 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and alike) is not that good. Their system of units lacks a convenient unit in this range.

Agreed. I find it much more usefull to use the metric system for measuring things <1m.

However I still can't get a comfortable grip on units >1m. For example, when someone says a plane is traveling at a speed of 760kmh I have no clue what they mean.

[Atahualpa]

kmh = KiloMeters per Hour (or you could write km/h but for simplicity the slash is omitted)
I guess you would say kph but this would not be correct since kilometer is km and not just k therefor it would have to be kmph if you want to put in the p.
And because thats nonsense and all complicated we say kmh or km/h which is spelled the same only the writing is different

That means if the plane would stick to this velocity for one hour it had travelled 760 kilometers (or is it has travelled?). 760 kilometers is quite a distance already and now comes in handy: when I drive by car with an average of 100km/h it would take me 7.6 hours (unfortunately time is not based on powers of 10 so we have to calculate minutes: 0.6 * 60 = 36) -> we would arrive in 7 hours and 36 minutes. And an average of 100km/h for a car is not so uncommen so this example is practical as well

ata

[Hagbart]

Originally posted by Cookie Monster


Agreed. I find it much more usefull to use the metric system for measuring things <1m.

However I still can't get a comfortable grip on units >1m. For example, when someone says a plane is traveling at a speed of 760kmh I have no clue what they mean.

Well that's because you're stupid!