America and the metric system

[Dralix]

Originally posted by Pillager
Equally, write down the exact number of centimetres in a third of a metre.

The metric world tends not to divide their units into fractions, so that normally isn't a problem.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by Pillager
I know it doesn't take long to figure out, but it is stupid. You don't say something is 1200 inches high, you would say it's 100 feet. It would take 2 seconds to work out 1200" = 100' but it would be silly to have to do so.

Yes, I agree; it is silly.

Maybe they just wanted you to excercise your brain a little.

Originally posted by anarchywrksbest
Apart from that annoying 364 1/4 days thing

Actually 364.242.

Edit: And the fact that Earth takes 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 56 seconds to rotate around its axis, IIRC.

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by Pillager
Equally, write down the exact number of centimetres in a third of a metre.

33 + 1/3.

If we had any serious problems with our present time system I'm sure we would have noticed it by now. The fact is it works fine and no-one ever mentions it as a problem.

We don't have trouble with our time system because we don't sell it, nor put it in cans, nor anything like that.

And after all, people DID use the totally absurd systems that were common in Middle-Age until someone during the Révolution took the God-blessed decision to make a measure system that made sense.
It's not because it's not convenient, hard to use and absurd that people won't use it. People use what they are USED TO, and no amount of reason and logic can change that

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by WillJ
Actually 364.242.

Actually you're both wrong, as it's not 364 and something, it's 365 and something.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by Akka
Actually you're both wrong, as it's not 364 and something, it's 365 and something.

Oopsie, silly me....

Okay then, it's actually 365.242. Actually, even that must be a rounded answer, because it is believed that our current system (leap years being years divisible by 4 but not by 100, unless divisible by 400) will be off in about 3000 years.

 

[sysyphus]

Just read off the calendar and stop worrying about it!

 

[hbdragon88]

I hope America doesn't succumb to the rest of the world to the metric system. I like getting gallons of milk, eating pints of ice cream, and telling my friends that our house lot is 60 by 100 feet

The only problem stems from visiting other countries. Canada when trying to get soda. I stood at the display for like five minutes trying to figure out what 600mL translated into, and wondered how fast 100 km/hour was in miles per hour on the freeway. Not a good experience.

 

[tonberry]

Originally posted by hbdragon88
I hope America doesn't succumb to the rest of the world to the metric system. I like getting gallons of milk, eating pints of ice cream, and telling my friends that our house lot is 60 by 100 feet

The only problem stems from visiting other countries. Canada when trying to get soda. I stood at the display for like five minutes trying to figure out what 600mL translated into, and wondered how fast 100 km/hour was in miles per hour on the freeway. Not a good experience.

That's the point. Why bother complicated your life when you travel? Just because you "like" the imperial system? Don't worry, you'll get use to it (the metric system).

 

[Silverflame]

Ten is an overglorified number if you ask me. That's the main argument of the metric system "it uses ten! It's so much easier! Just add zeros etc. etc. etc..." Then what about fractions? Fractions are useful, no matter how you look at it. The Greeks had 360 degrees in a circle for a reason, not 100 or 1000 or whatever multiple of ten. Plus, I'd take half a mile over five hectameters (or whatever it's called) anyday.

 

[Akka]

Ten is easier because our whole mathematical system is on base 10.

No amount of poor argument is going to change that
It's always amazing to see how people will defend the indefendable just because they are used to it

 

[nihilistic]

Originally posted by Silverflame
Then what about fractions? Fractions are useful, no matter how you look at it.

I fail to see how the metric system can be inferior in terms of fractions.

Originally posted by Silverflame
The Greeks had 360 degrees in a circle for a reason, not 100 or 1000 or whatever multiple of ten.

They probably liked integral divisibility with 2,3,4,5,6,8,10,12, and 24, since the trig functions of the angles related those sectors of the circle can be expressed rather easily. Besides we use radians now in science anyway.

This, however, has absolutely nothing to do with the measuring of magnitudes.

Originally posted by Silverflame
Plus, I'd take half a mile over five hectameters (or whatever it's called) anyday.

You should learn the prefixes. It will help you in life.

Also, hecto (100) is rarely used. If they want to say 5 hectometer, they will probably say half a kilometer. I fail to see how the mile/yard/foot system can be any esier.

 

[nihilistic]

Originally posted by Akka
Ten is easier because our whole mathematical system is on base 10.

Correct, but it does not end there. The metric system is also consistent from unit to unit. From base to kilo to mega to giga to tera and beyond. The factor is always 10^3. It's only natural that a system of quantifiers should be this way.

There are other systems too. If you do any serious computer programming, inevitably you will need to be at least somewhat competent at reading hexadecimal (or octal) numbers. The rule applies there too. You would not have the second digit be 16 times as significant as the first and the third digit be 32 times as significant as the second. Doing that is simply dumb. I will leave you to decide how braindead the 1760yards=1mile, 3feet=1yard, 12inches=1foot rules are.

 

[thestonesfan]

Would our lives be any easier with the metric system? Heck no. It's not like we don't know it, I mean, how could you not? We're used to the old way, and that's reason enough to keep it.

Anyway, a gallon of milk is the perfect size.

 

[nihilistic]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
Anyway, a gallon of milk is the perfect size.

OK, now give me that same volume in cubic yards.
[without looking through any reference material]

 

[Akka]

The perfect argument for immobilism...

Edit : Nihilistic, I suppose that he'll come with an excuse like "why would I need to do so ?" or such

Edit 2 : lol: I'm just too smart

 

[thestonesfan]

Originally posted by nihilistic


OK, now give me that same volume in cubic yards.
[without looking through any reference material]

Why would one measure milk in cubic yards? What's wrong with gallons?

 

[nihilistic]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
Why would one measure milk in cubic yards? What's wrong with gallons?

Because you measured the dimensions milk dispenser at your workplace to be 2 cubic yards. Your boss demands to know how many jugs of milk will fill it before he sends dispatch for the supermarket, and the volume label from the 2 cubic yard container is gone.

 

[thestonesfan]

It's weird how often that happens to me!

Well, I don't know how many litres are in a cubic meter either. 100?

 

[Pillager]

Originally posted by nihilistic


Because you measured the dimensions milk dispenser at your workplace to be 2 cubic yards. Your boss demands to know how many jugs of milk will fill it before he sends dispatch for the supermarket, and the volume label from the 2 cubic yard container is gone.

As with watering cans, there would be gallon marks running up the side.

 

[nihilistic]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
It's weird how often that happens to me!

Well, I don't know how many litres are in a cubic meter either. 100?

A liter is defined as a cubic millimeter. A cubic meter would be 10^9 liters.