Metric system or U.S. Standard?

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Spencer278
The metric system sucks for measuring most things because it is handicapped by the base 10 stuff where the english system just makes up units that are a conventant length. Like the soda can 12 oz or 355 ml who cares the precision of there soda to 3 siginifiacant figures anyway. The biggest flaw in the metric system is it requires larger number before the unit compared to the english system. Sure the metric system is useful when doing conversion but how often do I do conversions I think never unless it is in a class

355 mL = 35.5 cL = 3.55 dL = 0.355 L

Take your pick.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I prefer the English system of measurement. Especially for temperature measurement, more precise. (Note that precision is not a reflection of accuracy, precision is a result of having more available reference points.) Since Fahrenheit has 180 degrees between the freezing and boiling point of water while Centigrade has only 100, Fahrenheit is by definition more precise.

huh? since when are you limited to zero decimal places for measuring temperature?

if you only have 1 degree marks on your thermometer you're limited to 1 decimal place. or if you have a digital thermo and it goes out 2 or 3 places regardless of system. but i'm pretty sure ZV has it wrong, and it's more accurate since it gets closer to the actual measurement. precision is a function of your equipment.

You're right that technically, but practically you are limited to a fixed number of decimal places (usually zero) when describing things in normal, every-day situations. For example, you can picture, say, 1.5 degrees easily. how about 1.48760926 degrees? Your mind will round that to 1.5 in normal, non-scientific situations.

No, I don't have it wrong. Both are equally accurate. Accuracy has to do with the measurement corresponding to reality. Precision has to do with how fine the scale is, and Fahrenheit is an inherently finer scale and therefore more precise.

ZV

Precision has to do with how fine the scale is MARKED on your thermometer. Are you saying that a thermometer marked in whole degrees F is more precise than a thermometer marked in thousandths of degrees C?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: Spencer278
The metric system sucks for measuring most things because it is handicapped by the base 10 stuff where the english system just makes up units that are a conventant length. Like the soda can 12 oz or 355 ml who cares the precision of there soda to 3 siginifiacant figures anyway. The biggest flaw in the metric system is it requires larger number before the unit compared to the english system. Sure the metric system is useful when doing conversion but how often do I do conversions I think never unless it is in a class

what? why do you think 12oz is the "right" size for a soda?? why not 300ml or 350 ml?

because then you need a number that is 3 digits instead of 2 to discribe something that is the same size. Same with length if I want to say my walls are 8ft tall what would that be in metric 230 some odd centimeters again an extra 2 digits for two more digits I gain a half inch or .5% of the total length in presion.

:roll: I just don't know where to begin...

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I say we use metric for everything, but drop centigrade. It only makes slightly more sense than Fahrenheit. We should use Kelvin for temperature.

C = K + 273.16

We practically do use K anyways.

Although at least if we did convert to K, then we'd not have as many retard weather girls saying "Well yesterday it was 10 degrees and today it'll be 20, so it's going to be twice as hot."

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Sunner
It's amazing that some people still think the Imperial system is supperior in any way.
Of course some people will be more comfortable with it, having used it since birth, and hence would prefer to stick with what they know, but ignoring what you know, the Metric system is clearly superior.
As some have already pointed out, try doing some engineering work using Imperial.

Or, maybe we should have one system for each purpose, engineers can keep Metric, people who drink lots of soda keep Imperial, we'll measure gas in "tanks", one tank being the avarge tank capacity between a Ford F-150 and a Civic.

People have done engineering work with the imperial system don't you remember that mars probe. Working with either type isn't really that difficult if you have a calculator and use only the base units. So everyone should change the untis they use so that engineers don't have to learn a second system which is worse for everyday uses. A tank wouldn't be a very good unit because you might have 1.5 tanks and then you have to deal with fractions.

And you can force a screw into it's hole using a sledgehammer as well, but a screwdriver would be a tad easier to use, no?

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: BigJelly

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: Spencer278
The metric system sucks for measuring most things because it is handicapped by the base 10 stuff where the english system just makes up units that are a conventant length. Like the soda can 12 oz or 355 ml who cares the precision of there soda to 3 siginifiacant figures anyway. The biggest flaw in the metric system is it requires larger number before the unit compared to the english system. Sure the metric system is useful when doing conversion but how often do I do conversions I think never unless it is in a class

what? why do you think 12oz is the "right" size for a soda?? why not 300ml or 350 ml?

because if you know the origins of the definition of an ounce (volume), you would know it is equivilant to half a gulb (a human gulp). Thus 12 oz soda = 24 gulps. So the basis for the ounce is based off of the human drinking process--hence ounce is the best measurement.

Take that everyone that uses the metic system.

If one ounce is half a gulp, surely 2 ounces is one gulp, and a 12oz can would be 6 gulps?

 

[Muzzan]

Originally posted by: Spencer278
The metric system sucks for measuring most things because it is handicapped by the base 10 stuff where the english system just makes up units that are a conventant length. Like the soda can 12 oz or 355 ml who cares the precision of there soda to 3 siginifiacant figures anyway. The biggest flaw in the metric system is it requires larger number before the unit compared to the english system. Sure the metric system is useful when doing conversion but how often do I do conversions I think never unless it is in a class

*boggle*

The actual size/volume/whatever of the objects would have to change along with a switch in measurements (in order for it to be successful, anyway). If the US would switch to metric, you would not buy a 354.882356 ml can of soda, you'd buy a 33 cl soda (omg, same amount of digits!11). A road where you're only allowed to drive 60 mph wouldn't become a 26.8224 m/s road, it'd be a 90 km/h road. And so on. Of course, this switch would cost horrendous amounts of money, and one wonders if it's really necessary.

And as superpig demonstrated, measurements in metric are not necessarily bigger than those in Imperial (it doesn't really seem like you understand how the metric system is used in everyday life. For example, I could represent my height, 1.78 meters, in the Imperial system by saying that it is 0.0003687 leagues. Obviously the metric system is easier for such measurements! But is that example really truthful? Do people really use leagues to measure the height of humans? Do you think people in "metric countries" convert from Oz to ml when talking about the volumes of soda cans? Of course not...).

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Sunner
It's amazing that some people still think the Imperial system is supperior in any way.
Of course some people will be more comfortable with it, having used it since birth, and hence would prefer to stick with what they know, but ignoring what you know, the Metric system is clearly superior.
As some have already pointed out, try doing some engineering work using Imperial.

Or, maybe we should have one system for each purpose, engineers can keep Metric, people who drink lots of soda keep Imperial, we'll measure gas in "tanks", one tank being the avarge tank capacity between a Ford F-150 and a Civic.

People have done engineering work with the imperial system don't you remember that mars probe. Working with either type isn't really that difficult if you have a calculator and use only the base units. So everyone should change the untis they use so that engineers don't have to learn a second system which is worse for everyday uses. A tank wouldn't be a very good unit because you might have 1.5 tanks and then you have to deal with fractions.

Yup. As I recall, the probe that they used the imperial system on plummeted into Mars' atmosphere.
I too feel that metric should be adopted everywhere, and the old systems dropped. Converting among metric is simple. Converting metric to American is no picnic. But the real great thing is how tough it is to do INTERNAL conversions in the American/Imperial system. Inches to miles:
12 inches to a foot, 5,280 feet to a mile. Simple conversion that can be done in your head quickly, right? Volume measurements can be fun too. Anyone for tablespoons to gallons?

 

[Ornery]

Hey, what sizes are condtruction materials in Europe? How large is a sheet of plywood or drywall? How about floor tile, which are 1' square here? What about a 2x4? Hell, our 2x4s haven't been 2" x 4" for over to 100 years! Shoot, our 2x4s used to be 1 5/8" x 3 5/8" for quite a while. Now they're 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". Why? I don't know!

 

[dman]

I pretty much think in the imperial system, weight, measurements, speed, etc... all native. If I get a metric value I have to convert it. Except for Meters, since that's 'about a yard'.

 

[BigJelly]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: BigJelly

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: Spencer278
The metric system sucks for measuring most things because it is handicapped by the base 10 stuff where the english system just makes up units that are a conventant length. Like the soda can 12 oz or 355 ml who cares the precision of there soda to 3 siginifiacant figures anyway. The biggest flaw in the metric system is it requires larger number before the unit compared to the english system. Sure the metric system is useful when doing conversion but how often do I do conversions I think never unless it is in a class

what? why do you think 12oz is the "right" size for a soda?? why not 300ml or 350 ml?

because if you know the origins of the definition of an ounce (volume), you would know it is equivilant to half a gulb (a human gulp). Thus 12 oz soda = 24 gulps. So the basis for the ounce is based off of the human drinking process--hence ounce is the best measurement.

Take that everyone that uses the metic system.

If one ounce is half a gulp, surely 2 ounces is one gulp, and a 12oz can would be 6 gulps?

screwed up, its half an ounce is 1 gulp and edited that post (just wrote it down wrong)

 

[Ornery]

I found the plywood measurements:

• 2500 x 1250 mm or 2440 x 1220 mm
  98.42" x 49.21" or 96" x 48"

I like saying 4x8 better!

 

[B00ne]

Originally posted by: RussianSoldier

Originally posted by: MadCowDisease
I'm sorry, but I still to this day have no idea how many quarts are in a gallon, how many ounces are in a pound, or exactly how many feet are in a mile.

Metric is simply so much easier to handle...

Heh! Me too, I always thought there were 4 pints to a quart, and then 4 quarts to a gallon...

I try to use metric whenever I can, and of course I get really wierd looks when I say "...yeah, it's 23km that way"

and then I think it's funny that the US system could ever be called "Standard" hah!

At least you say: "it is 23km that way". In the US they will tell you:" it is 15min that way" Here, by saying this you would only get a weird look and ppl asking: "At what speed, (what traffic conditions do you base your assumption on)?"

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I found the plywood measurements:

• 2500 x 1250 mm or 2440 x 1220 mm
  98.42" x 49.21" or 96" x 48"

I like saying 4x8 better!

Thats what I've been try to tell them but they don't leason. The metric fan boys would rather have one unit for length then create some pseudo units that are really just the same so they can clam it is easy to convert between them.

 

[Triumph]

All good engineers prefer the Metric system. Try doing thermodynamics with BTU*lbm/hours or some garbage like that.

It would also help auto mechanics if they would just stick with ONE system.

 

[LAUST]

METRIC

God I HATE

7/16 11/32 9/16

give me

10 11 12

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Ornery
I found the plywood measurements:

• 2500 x 1250 mm or 2440 x 1220 mm
  98.42" x 49.21" or 96" x 48"

I like saying 4x8 better!

Thats what I've been try to tell them but they don't leason. The metric fan boys would rather have one unit for length then create some pseudo units that are really just the same so they can clam it is easy to convert between them.

Dude, it's not like some guy came across a 4x8 in the woods one day and said: "Let this be 4 feet by 8 feet across," and came up with a nice round number. The foot was already defined when some guy invented plywood. He was wondering how big the standard should be so he just defined it to be 4x8. The units were there, and he picked a convenient size. Now, he had been a metric guy, he might have picked a size for the standard to be 2m x 1m, or 3m x 1.5m. Whatever. I don't see how you can't realize this.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Sunner
It's amazing that some people still think the Imperial system is supperior in any way.
Of course some people will be more comfortable with it, having used it since birth, and hence would prefer to stick with what they know, but ignoring what you know, the Metric system is clearly superior.
As some have already pointed out, try doing some engineering work using Imperial.

Or, maybe we should have one system for each purpose, engineers can keep Metric, people who drink lots of soda keep Imperial, we'll measure gas in "tanks", one tank being the avarge tank capacity between a Ford F-150 and a Civic.

People have done engineering work with the imperial system don't you remember that mars probe. Working with either type isn't really that difficult if you have a calculator and use only the base units. So everyone should change the untis they use so that engineers don't have to learn a second system which is worse for everyday uses. A tank wouldn't be a very good unit because you might have 1.5 tanks and then you have to deal with fractions.

Yup. As I recall, the probe that they used the imperial system on plummeted into Mars' atmosphere.
I too feel that metric should be adopted everywhere, and the old systems dropped. Converting among metric is simple. Converting metric to American is no picnic. But the real great thing is how tough it is to do INTERNAL conversions in the American/Imperial system. Inches to miles:
12 inches to a foot, 5,280 feet to a mile. Simple conversion that can be done in your head quickly, right? Volume measurements can be fun too. Anyone for tablespoons to gallons?

IIRC the mistake was made during a conversion from one system to another.

 

[Ornery]

The foot was already defined when some guy invented plywood. He was wondering how big the standard should be so he just defined it to be 4x8. The units were there, and he picked a convenient size.

So now, in most of Europe, you have to ask for a 2500x1250 sheet of plywood, or is it a 2440x1220? What is a 2x4 called, and how long would a standard 8' length be? I suppose instead of an eight footer, you'd ask for a 2500?

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I prefer the English system of measurement. Especially for temperature measurement, more precise. (Note that precision is not a reflection of accuracy, precision is a result of having more available reference points.) Since Fahrenheit has 180 degrees between the freezing and boiling point of water while Centigrade has only 100, Fahrenheit is by definition more precise.

I'll grant that the Metric system is easier, but it is easier in the same way that an automatic transmission is easier than a standard. The automatic is much easier, but the standard is not some incredible paragon of difficulty. In the same way, Metric is easier than English, but English is far from a paragon of difficulty.

ZV

actually, it is the Paradigm of difficulty when comparing measuring systems. is it as difficult as say becoming an OPTHOMOLOGISTS? no, is it about as difficult as possible where measuring systems go, YES??

No in their right mind would create such a system. if you had to learn the whole system from scratch knowing NOTHING about it, it would be a pain in the @ss.

12 inches to a foot?? A FOOT?? WTF A foot?

2 cups to a pint but 4 quarts to a gallon?? WTF is up with that?

a pound is HOW many ounces??

comparing that to the metric system where EVERYTHING is based on 10.

how can you claim it ISN'T the paradigm of difficulty?

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I prefer the English system of measurement. Especially for temperature measurement, more precise. (Note that precision is not a reflection of accuracy, precision is a result of having more available reference points.) Since Fahrenheit has 180 degrees between the freezing and boiling point of water while Centigrade has only 100, Fahrenheit is by definition more precise.

ZV

That's what decimal points are for...

 

[GreenGhost]

Although I live in the US, I use English units just for temperature. At work, only metric is used. At the grocery store, I always use the weight in grams, so don't know how many oz. are there in a lb. In college, I had only one professor (already retired now) that had would give us problems in English units.

 

[alexruiz]

English system is a pain is the @$$.... SI (metric) is waaay easier and more covenient. Besides, all the weight-fanatic girls would feel better knowing that now they "weigh less..."

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I prefer the English system of measurement. Especially for temperature measurement, more precise. (Note that precision is not a reflection of accuracy, precision is a result of having more available reference points.) Since Fahrenheit has 180 degrees between the freezing and boiling point of water while Centigrade has only 100, Fahrenheit is by definition more precise.

I'll grant that the Metric system is easier, but it is easier in the same way that an automatic transmission is easier than a standard. The automatic is much easier, but the standard is not some incredible paragon of difficulty. In the same way, Metric is easier than English, but English is far from a paragon of difficulty.

ZV

actually, it is the Paradigm of difficulty when comparing measuring systems. is it as difficult as say becoming an OPTHOMOLOGISTS? no, is it about as difficult as possible where measuring systems go, YES??

No in their right mind would create such a system. if you had to learn the whole system from scratch knowing NOTHING about it, it would be a pain in the @ss.

12 inches to a foot?? A FOOT?? WTF A foot?

2 cups to a pint but 4 quarts to a gallon?? WTF is up with that?

a pound is HOW many ounces??

comparing that to the metric system where EVERYTHING is based on 10.

how can you claim it ISN'T the paradigm of difficulty?

I prefer the foot to the meter. It's a better base measurement. My foot wearing a shoe is roughly one foot, this makes it pretty easy for me to pace off a distance. In addition the distance between my knuckles on my index finger is roughly an inch, makes it easy to measure things without a tape measure. These are things people who build stuff know and why IMO US Customary is better than metric for everything but doing engineering or calculations.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: rahvin

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I prefer the English system of measurement. Especially for temperature measurement, more precise. (Note that precision is not a reflection of accuracy, precision is a result of having more available reference points.) Since Fahrenheit has 180 degrees between the freezing and boiling point of water while Centigrade has only 100, Fahrenheit is by definition more precise.

I'll grant that the Metric system is easier, but it is easier in the same way that an automatic transmission is easier than a standard. The automatic is much easier, but the standard is not some incredible paragon of difficulty. In the same way, Metric is easier than English, but English is far from a paragon of difficulty.

ZV

actually, it is the Paradigm of difficulty when comparing measuring systems. is it as difficult as say becoming an OPTHOMOLOGISTS? no, is it about as difficult as possible where measuring systems go, YES??

No in their right mind would create such a system. if you had to learn the whole system from scratch knowing NOTHING about it, it would be a pain in the @ss.

12 inches to a foot?? A FOOT?? WTF A foot?

2 cups to a pint but 4 quarts to a gallon?? WTF is up with that?

a pound is HOW many ounces??

comparing that to the metric system where EVERYTHING is based on 10.

how can you claim it ISN'T the paradigm of difficulty?

I prefer the foot to the meter. It's a better base measurement. My foot wearing a shoe is roughly one foot, this makes it pretty easy for me to pace off a distance. In addition the distance between my knuckles on my index finger is roughly an inch, makes it easy to measure things without a tape measure. These are things people who build stuff know and why IMO US Customary is better than metric for everything but doing engineering or calculations.

that means nothing. you could just as easily say that the distance between knuckles on your index finger is roughly 3 cm, that your foot is approximately 30 cm. those are just things that you accustom yourself too.

to say that justifies making sense of something that is totally ludicrous is stupid.


let's say we changed the metric system to make things easier for americans, instead of using the wavelength . . . that they currently use to measure 1 meter, let's say that 1 ft = 10 cm.

now, everything is easy again right? it's arbitrary. but what DOESN'T make sense is using all sorts of arbitrary numbers, 1 pts = quart, 16 oz = lb . . .