Imperial Or Metric?

[Marla_Singer]

It's as stupid to say that celcius degrees are too imprecise than to say that inches are too imprecise compared to centimeters... But I remember a US dude who actually told me centimeters were too small...

 

[Zany]

Metric is easy for math and science, with the base 10 system. Imperial is easier in everyday situations, much easier to measure and estimate (but I am terrible at estimating anything, such as height, weight, length, distance, age, time, you name it) and also as an American I am familiar with it.

 

[Speciou5]

Okay, so the imperial system is useful because everyone is familiar with it and uses it in everyday life. So what happens when you convert to metric so everyone becomes familar with metric and uses it in everyday life?

 

[Perfection]

It's as stupid to say that celcius degrees are too imprecise than to say that inches are too imprecise compared to centimeters... But I remember a US dude who actually told me centimeters were too small...

Well, they're all apt. Certain measurements are more convenient in certain units.

 

[sanabas]

Imperial is easier in everyday situations, much easier to measure and estimate (but I am terrible at estimating anything, such as height, weight, length, distance, age, time, you name it) and also as an American I am familiar with it.

It's only easier to estimate because you're familiar with it. Get familiar with metric, it's just as easy. Don't know how it's easier to measure, measuring in a different unit is just a matter of how you calibrate your measuring device.

Well, they're all apt. Certain measurements are more convenient in certain units.

It's not that dumb, Fareignhiet units are of a very convenient human scale. Celsius units are not.

More convenient to measure? Or just more convenient because you get 'nicer' numbers when you measure? Disagree about temperature too, how is celsius not a very convenient human scale?

 

[marshal zhukov]

It's not that dumb, Fareignhiet units are of a very convenient human scale. Celsius units are not. Celsius units are more convenient physical systems though.

Additionally, calling that the dumbest thing is really an insult to some of the magnificantly stupid things said here.

Maybe you just don't read that much in this forum.

What do you mean by human scale?? Above 36C and you are feverish, 40C + and you have high fever. Really simple


The problem with farenheight is that it is too complicates to write

I don't visit this forum very often, but right now that post holds the record for dumbness.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Not really...100 sounds like a really high number for temperature. In fact, it is quite hot! Over 100 is feverish. Similarly, 0 is really cold. Not just water-freezes cold, but too-cold-to-snow and so-cold-that-your-eyes-tear-in-a-valiant-effort-to-protect-them-from-the-cold. Or something like that.

And for driving, I can cruise along a highway at 60 and not feel like I'm speeding. But to be going 100? The first time I saw that the speed limit in Canada was 100, I was astounded! Then I realized that it was a mere 62 miles per hour...

To me, I feel like being 5'9" is taller and therefore better than being less than 2 meters tall. Once again, personal pride and preference.

As a runner, I love using the mile. You can call it the 1600 if you wish, but there's something special about running the mile and knowing your mile time and hearing mile splits...anyway, my preferred unit (although I hated running it...I preferred cross-country races of varying distances...).

Of course, I wouldn't even consider for an instant using US Standard in physics and stuff. Slugs and foot-pounds? No thank you! When I deal with theoretical physics, it doesn't matter to me what units I use, the nucleus of an atom is imperceptibly small to me no matter the system. Same with c, whether it's 3 time ten to the eighth meters per second or 186,282 miles per second makes no difference to me. I'll never go nearly that fast.

Metric is far more practical for serious scientific purposes. But I love my US Standard system for stupid sentimental reasons. And if you want to fight over it, I'd rather be 140 pounds than 64 kilograms!

 

[josephstalin]

Metric. Imperial is difficult to live with and simply unlogical.

 

[Sims2789]

There's nothing wrong with using Imperial in day-to-day life but it's horrible for use in science.

 

[Perfection]

What do you mean by human scale?? Above 36C and you are feverish, 40C + and you have high fever. Really simple

Well it really has to do with unit gradiation. A 1 degree feriegnhiet temperature difference matches nicely with human JND

 

[Nobody]

Isnt counting Metric kinda of? i mean at school we learnt that base 7 crap. so if we all use base 10 it seems rather Metric of us.

 

[kryszcztov]

Let's sum it up...

Metric lovers find Metric easy to use in everyday life and in science.

Imperial lovers find Imperial easy to use in everyday life, but not in science, in which they use Metric.

Is it enough to conclude that Metric is superior to Imperial ?

 

[Scuffer]

Heh, I can use all imperial, except °F, which I just can't get.

Metric for when I'm being precise, imperial when I'm not.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

My car consumes 7,5 litres of petrol on 100kms.
A cookie to the first one who converts that to how many miles per gallon it does
Is that the same in the US and UK?

Metric all the way!

According to some rough math without the use of a calculator, my car gets 27.5 miles per gallon. Petrol... is it just me or does that sound like the name of a muscle, "I pulled my petrol muscle in the baseball game yesterday." Only in certain context of course

The main reason I don't like the Metric system is because of its distance measurement. Miles are longer than kilometers, thus there are less of them between say my house and the state capital. And since I despise spending long amounts of time in the car, I don't like anything that would make a trip seem longer (even though it isn't really)

 

[Stapel]

According to some rough math without the use of a calculator, my car gets 27.5 miles per gallon. Petrol... is it just me or does that sound like the name of a muscle, "I pulled my petrol muscle in the baseball game yesterday." Only in certain context of course

How do you refer to fuel then?

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

How do you refer to fuel then?

On the other side of the pond we call it gasoline.

But call it whatever you please, it doesn't bother me any.

 

[Stapel]

On the other side of the pond we call it gasoline.

A housemate of mine has an American-imported Volvo, and I think it sais gasoline on the dashboard too.

The weird thing is: gasoline is the French (maybe gasole? Oldfashioned Dutch: gasolie, which means gazoil) word for diesel, a totally different kind of stuff, which is better not to be put into regular (benzine) fueled cars.

Do you have diesel engine cars at all?

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Yes, most military vehicles are. As for civilian vehicles mainly heavy duty trucks, semi's, trains, buses, etc. For cars, not that I know of, we generally put diesel engines in vehicles that need more horsepower (for working, not pleasure).

And yes, not generally a good idea to put diesel in an unleaded gas only car.

Speaking of leaded and unleaded, it is also generally NOT a good idea is to put leaded gas into a car with a catalytic converter, the converter will no longer work after one full tank.

Here's more info from a site:

Catalytic converters have been standard on U.S. automobiles since the mid-1970s. The catalytic converter helped drive the push toward unleaded gasoline as well. Leaded gasoline contaminates the catalyst used inside a catalytic converter, destroying its usefulness and leading to a clogged converter.

Link: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question482.htm

 

[Stapel]

Yes, most military vehicles are. As for civilian vehicles mainly heavy duty trucks, semi's, trains, buses, etc. For cars, not that I know of, we generally put diesel engines in vehicles that need more horsepower (for working, not pleasure).

Usually, it's not to get more power (horsepower /kiloWatts) but to get more torque (Newtonmeters, in the metrical system).

And yes, not generally a good idea to put diesel in an unleaded gas only car.

I have a car that uses leaded fuel (a DAF, with a 1974? Renault 1300 engine), and trust me, it will die rather soon, if I put diesel in it.

BTW:
Howstuffworks is a brilliant website!

 

[Irish Caesar]

Let's sum it up...

Metric lovers find Metric easy to use in everyday life and in science.

Imperial lovers find Imperial easy to use in everyday life, but not in science, in which they use Metric.

Is it enough to conclude that Metric is superior to Imperial ?

I don't think it's any question that Metric is superior. But some US Standard units and measurements just sound cooler.