Why is the U.S. still not using the metric system?

[Rik Meleet]

I know what I find easier to calculate.
Test: Measure how quickly you can calculate these sums:

Option 1: 6" and 7/8 MINUS 5" and 3/16
Option 2: 17,46 cm MINUS 13,18 cm

(You may read option 2 as 17.46 cm MINUS 13.18 cm is you so desire )

Both are pretty easy. 6" 14/16 - 5" 3/16 = 1" 11/16. It's more complicated if you use fractions that don't have a power of 2 in the denominator, but not much.
And 4.28 cm for the other one.

I used these numbers as they corresponded with the Orange County Choppers' episode. But if you so desire:


Test: Measure how quickly you can calculate these sums:

Option 1: 6" and 7/8 MINUS 5" and 3/17
Option 2: 17,46 cm MINUS 13,15 cm

 

[Incodcito]

there is no such thing as an objective hierarchy of languages based on how easy they are to learn

one language is not "easier" to learn than another one

stop being obtuse

 

[MobBoss]

Wait, so your solution is to convert the feet to metres, then to centimetres, then to inches? That doesn't make any sense!

2.2 is pounds to the kilogram. 2.54 is centimetres to the inch.

Hehe, thanks for the correction. The point was that its not really all that hard to convert either way to be honest, so its really not that big an argument.

In fact, we probably just keep the imperial standard around for one reason and one reason only: to irritate all those metric users out there. Isnt that a good enough reason to keep it around?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I used these numbers as they corresponded with the Orange County Choppers' episode. But if you so desire:


Test: Measure how quickly you can calculate these sums:

Option 1: 6" and 7/8 MINUS 5" and 3/17
Option 2: 17,46 cm MINUS 13,15 cm

Well, 8 x 17 = 136, so 7/8 is 17x7/136 = 119/136, and 3/17 is 3x8/136 = 24/136

119 - 24 = 95 so

6" 7/8 - 5" 3/17 = 6" 119/136 - 5" 24/136

= 1" 95/136

95 (= 5x19) and 17x8 are coprime, so 95/136 can't be simplified any further.

We learn how to subtract fractions in primary school (age 5-10) here.

 

[Chukchi Husky]

We learn how to subtract fractions in primary school (age 5-10) here.

I never did learn.

 

[GhostWriter16]

I don't remember when I learned. I don't actually remember learning it, I just know how to do it.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Why the intense hatred for driving on the left? It doesn't affect you and, given that we're an island, it doesn't affect anyone else, either.

(that's the point )

The right hand should take care of the important stuff. Steering being more important that the radio.

That's assuming you drive with one hand

You drive and steer with two hands, but if you need to do something quickly, it's best to use your dominant hand, which will probably be quicker and less clumsy that doing it with the other hand.

 

[Hehehe]

In fact, we probably just keep the imperial standard around for one reason and one reason only: to irritate all those metric users out there. Isnt that a good enough reason to keep it around?

I suppose that's a perfectly logical reason to keep using an inferior system of measurement.

 

[GinandTonic]

You drive and steer with two hands, but if you need to do something quickly, it's best to use your dominant hand, which will probably be quicker and less clumsy that doing it with the other hand.

No. One hand is permanently on the wheel while the other spends a significant amount of time on other tasks. Since the steering wheel is not only the most important task but a subtle analogue one it is safer for the dominant hand to take this task. Really, left hand drive countries are statistically safer. Not significantly so as to make it worth the hassle of people switching, but measurably so.

 

[Joecoolyo]

No. One hand is permanently on the wheel while the other spends a significant amount of time on other tasks. Since the steering wheel is not only the most important task but a subtle analogue one it is safer for the dominant hand to take this task. Really, left hand drive countries are statistically safer.

What else could you possibly be doing when driving?

 

[bhsup]

In fact, we probably just keep the imperial standard around for one reason and one reason only: to irritate all those metric users out there. Isnt that a good enough reason to keep it around?

It's good enough reason for me!

 

[GinandTonic]

What else could you possibly be doing when driving?

Well changing gear? Considering changing gear to the point of covering the clutch and reaching for the stick? Not even to mention operating the radio and a/c, reaching for anything on the passenger seat, the sat-nav, the cig-lighter, grabbing shades from the centre console and so on and so forth.

None of these things are as important as the steering. In fact they are all trivial bar the gear stick, but that is "digital" rather than analogue as the steering. EG it's in gear or not.

Having the dominant hand on the wheel is better than wasting it changing gear.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Well your tax dollars paid for that Mars probe that crashed into the surface because of confusion over imperial and metric units. How much do space probes cost?

 

[Ajidica]

Why the intense hatred for driving on the left? It doesn't affect you and, given that we're an island, it doesn't affect anyone else, either.

Why do Brits drive on the wrong side of the road?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Same reason as Japan I think.

 

[Ajidica]

Too much tea, bad food, and bad weather?

 

[Arakhor]

It's the right side of the road. It's just that other places are switching over to match their wrong neighbours.

I measure everything except height, weight and distance in Metric, as we taught to do in school. A4 is 210 mm by 297 mm, but it's five and a bit miles to my parents. Aren't we odd?

 

[MobBoss]

I suppose that's a perfectly logical reason to keep using an inferior system of measurement.

If your're used to it and it works just as well, how is it inferior?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

See: that Mars mission you paid to crash into Mars.

 

[Hehehe]

If your're used to it and it works just as well, how is it inferior?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system

Also correct me if I'm wrong but even in the US scientists and possibly engineers already use the metric system (see coherence in the link I provided)

While the imperial system might be easier for you as you're used to it, surely you can see why the metric system is superior?