The Metric System is so cool!

[IglooDame]

Apparently a US liquid gallon is 3,785 litres and a US dry gallon is 4,405 litres wheras a UK gallon is 4,55 litres. Or in other words a litre is somwhere between 0,220 - 0,264 gallons depending on what you're measuring and which side of the Atlantic you are.

Speaking of conversion factors - the use of the comma instead of the period (or vice versa) to represent a decimal point can be shocking to the unwary. I was trying to imagine how you got that three thousand seven hundred and eighty-five liters were in a single US liquid gallon.

 

[Harbringer]

I was in the army so i know both metric and standard systems. I prefer the metric but use the standard because im tired of telling peoplehow long a freekin meter is.

 

[Marla_Singer]

I was in the army so i know both metric and standard systems. I prefer the metric but use the standard because im tired of telling peoplehow long a freekin meter is.

A meter is very slightly longer than a yard. That's not so hard to imagine.

 

[Cilpot]

So it seems countries who use the metric system use it as the only system, while those with the medieval system use both. Clearly the medieval system is dying, why not put it out of its misery?

 

[SeleucusNicator]

So it seems countries who use the metric system use it as the only system, while those with the medieval system use both. Clearly the medieval system is dying, why not put it out of its misery?

The US hardly uses both. The only people in the United States literate in metric/SI are scientists and, perhaps, those in specialized industries where such measures are used. Even they use imperial in everyday life.

The rest of America (including myself), cannot tell a meter from a molehill.

 

[Harbringer]

"A meter is very slightly longer than a yard. That's not so hard to imagine. "

Ya, i tell people that to bu then they just ask, yes but exactly how long is it?And it gets old so i try to stick with the standard system or whatever you call it.

 

[Cilpot]

The US hardly uses both. The only people in the United States literate in metric/SI are scientists and, perhaps, those in specialized industries where such measures are used. Even they use imperial in everyday life.

The rest of America (including myself), cannot tell a meter from a molehill.

Ah, ok. I was under the impression that most people knew both. Even if they were not entirely comfortable with the metric system.

Carry on

 

[IglooDame]

"A meter is very slightly longer than a yard. That's not so hard to imagine. "

Ya, i tell people that to bu then they just ask, yes but exactly how long is it?And it gets old so i try to stick with the standard system or whatever you call it.

"About 39 inches"

But really, how often do people have to know exact conversions in conversational situations? If you are baking, or building something, or sending a space probe to Mars, you will need to be aware of conversions, but as few people can currently mentally come up with an exact gallon, mile, foot, pound, or degree Fahrenheit, exact conversions are a waste of time anyway.

 

[Sims2789]

Using the standard system in day-to-day life isn't much of a problem, but we should slowly grow out of that through education.

 

[Winner]

That's ridiculous how some Brits and Americans say their imperial/standard (whatever, we call it simply "american system" ) is better for everyday life. No, it isn't, at least for someone who was born and taught in country using the metric system. I can perfectly imagine what is 30 cm or 1,85 m, or how cold it is if there is 5 °C outside

It is very easy to use, the only thing you must know are some basic references. Once you know how tall are you in centimeters or what's your weight in kilograms, you don't have to know much more. Just that 100 cm = meter, 1000 m = 1 km etc., that's all.

 

[Sims2789]

So it seems countries who use the metric system use it as the only system, while those with the medieval system use both. Clearly the medieval system is dying, why not put it out of its misery?

It is be very hard to drive on a highway marked in kilometers if you think in miles. Because of this, we should use both but slowly phase out the standard system. Eventually, all of the people who feel natural with it will die, thus completely phasing it out.

 

[The Last Conformist]

"About 39 inches"

But really, how often do people have to know exact conversions in conversational situations? If you are baking, or building something, or sending a space probe to Mars, you will need to be aware of conversions, but as few people can currently mentally come up with an exact gallon, mile, foot, pound, or degree Fahrenheit, exact conversions are a waste of time anyway.

You're baking on a pretty serious level if you need exact conversions ...

 

[M37]

Just to throw some more nuts and bolts into this discussion not all standard measurements are the same in the US and Britan.

 

[puglover]

The Metric system, though I haven't completely memorized it, is way better than our standard measurements. We should convert, though it would be hard.

 

[sysyphus]

Just to throw some more nuts and bolts into this discussion not all standard measurements are the same in the US and Britan.

That's true, though nuts and bolts are measured the same in both countries.

 

[IglooDame]

You're baking on a pretty serious level if you need exact conversions ...

Hey, knowing that there are two and a half tablespoons to the centiliter is important, otherwise you might not put in enough rum.

 

[Elrohir]

I think the Metric system really needs some sort of unit in between meters and centimeters. I mean the Imperial system has inches, feet and yards, but the Metric doesn't have anything in between. It's easier to say "About a foot long" rather than "It's about 36 centimenters" or "Less than a third of a meter".

 

[sysyphus]

I think the Metric system really needs some sort of unit in between meters and centimeters. I mean the Imperial system has inches, feet and yards, but the Metric doesn't have anything in between. It's easier to say "About a foot long" rather than "It's about 36 centimenters" or "Less than a third of a meter".

It does: decimetres. = 0.1m or 10cm

 

[Elrohir]

But that's so small compared to a foot, it's only a few inches. You need an equivalent.

 

[IglooDame]

But that's so small compared to a foot, it's only a few inches. You need an equivalent.

It is four inches. Three decimeters = a foot, give or take a few millimeters.