Why does the US use Fahrenheit?

[Koing]

Originally posted by: jliechty

Originally posted by: TranceGOD
It HAS to be different from the rest of the world

Same reason it has NTSC, 110 Volt etc....

standardizations? bleh..

Metric is cool; I think the US should switch. It's funny to hear some people (like my dad) rant about how if everyone used the metric system, then kids in the US wouldn't learn how to multiply and divide as well, so we should keep our crazy and weird system of measurements and temperatures.

Now don't get me started on volatages and stuff. I like our 110volt/60Hz power just fine. Plus, you European weirdos have those crazy outlets with the stupid looking sockets and stuff.

Safety reasons!!!

 

[Bulk Beef]

Has anybody ever considered metric time?

 

[jonmullen]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
Why? Why do we need yards?

So I don't have to watch a football came and hear "Pass compleated, and that brings up first and 9.144 meters"


Edit: typo

 

[Babbles]

I work as a chemist so I kinda have to know both. Well raised one way, but by profession required to use the other.

I am all screwed up. I use some parts of metric and some parts of the old English system.
When looking at small amounts of weight I can perceive and understand things in grams/mg/etc. However, for larger sized objects I visualize in pounds.
Ditto that with measurments, I can eyeball a cm, mm, dm, but heck if I know what a meter is, close to a yard because I know what that one is.
I can visualize liquid volumes pretty well. In fact I understand metric better than that other screwed up system. Hell if I know how many cups, teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces, gallons, or whatever. I know what a gallon looks like simply because of buying milk.

I like to think of temperature using Celsius, but the benefits of Fahrenheit is that each change in degree is easier to comperhend.

Anyhow, I wish the metric system would be slowly introduced on a greater scale. Something along the lines of using all volumes in metric, then maybe convert all weight.

But, I could understand keeping Fahrenheit as well as using the mile; else that would be a lot of highway signs to change.

 

[CubicZirconia]

Although the metric system is clearly superior to the english system (or whatever you want to call it), I don't think that using the english system causes nearly as many problems as people make it out to cause. It really isn't that hard to understand. If someone has lived in the U.S. for 10 years and they still don't understand the english system, its because they are too lazy try and figure it out. Also, kids are already taught the metric system in schools, its not really a problem.

 

[zsouthboy]

Originally posted by: sward666
Has anybody ever considered metric time?

bahaha simpsons quote.....
i don't remember it exactly, but it was when springfield was run by all the smart people....

they had converted the clocks to "metric" time (only went to 10 oclock), and switched the stoplights to yellow and red only...

LMAO

 

[alphatarget1]

first of all

it's "fahrenheit", not "farenheit"

Metric system is superior in many ways since as pointed out before, you divide by 10 rather than 12.

I think the transition should be made gradually, like put both km/h and mph signs on the freeway, report temperatures in both Celcius and Fahrenheit, etc but that's just me.

 

[silverpig]

If the US converted to Celcius, I imagine a LOT of the "frozen north" image Canada has would be lost. I mean, if they show North American temperatures on an American network, it seems as though the temperature drops 50 degrees when you hit the border

 

[UsandThem]

I am just thankful we did do it.

I mean it sounds so much more drastic, when the weather forcast states "Todays high was a mild 83 and tomorrow will be a blistering 97" than to say "Todays high was a mild 26 and tomorrow will be a blistering 27".

 

[KenGr]

Actually, for everyday use Fahrenheit is a more practical and usable system. Even in the scientific world, Celsius is of dubious advantage. Yes, water is common but how often do the freezing and boiling points of water enter into chemical calculations?

Fahrenheit is intuitive. In the Northern Hemisphere temperate climates, 0 is about as low as the air gets and 100 is about as high as it gets. If you've ever noticed, Celsius thermometers and thermostats often have half degree increments while Fahrenheit does not need them. Metric makes sense in weight and length measurement, etc., but isn't really necessary in temperature measurements.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

What does 1 gallon of water weigh?

128 fluid ounces (1 gallon) of water weighs 128 ounces (8 lbs).

ZV

So you have to convert gallons into fluid ounces and then into pounds. Never mind that you may have memorized it - with the metric system, you need only make 1 conversion.

 

[LongCoolMother]

because we americans purposely like to differ from everyone else. i dont know why, but we think its 'cool' to be different. go figure

*scratches ass*

 

[MrsHoneybee]

I came to the USA over one year ago..I kind of have an idea what the weather will be when forecast in fahrenheit...but everything else is so damn confusing!!

I think USA should change to metric. USA just wants to confuse everyone....it's much easier to have celsius, kilometres, kilograms. And your power outlets do not have on/off switches...I hate plugging appliances into a power socket without that switch at the wall, just doesn't make me feel safe...AAHHHHH!! Oh and also when writing the date on US forms..it requests Month/Date/Year....please change all these to show Date/Month/Year. Thanks!

 

[ShotgunSteven]

OMG, Metric is like a forerunner to one world government and sh!t because everyone else uses it and now they're gonna stick a bar code on your ass and scan you at the supermarket 666 OMFG where's my tin foil beanie!? :Q

 

[exp]

So who will be paying for this switch to metric, I wonder? Hmm? Everyone is so very casual about suggesting the move but somehow I don't think many people would approve of a tax hike to fund it.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: KenGr
Actually, for everyday use Fahrenheit is a more practical and usable system. Even in the scientific world, Celsius is of dubious advantage. Yes, water is common but how often do the freezing and boiling points of water enter into chemical calculations?

Fahrenheit is intuitive. In the Northern Hemisphere temperate climates, 0 is about as low as the air gets and 100 is about as high as it gets. If you've ever noticed, Celsius thermometers and thermostats often have half degree increments while Fahrenheit does not need them. Metric makes sense in weight and length measurement, etc., but isn't really necessary in temperature measurements.

I think we should all switch to Kelvin. I HATE it when someone says "Yesterday it was 5 degrees, and today it'll be 10... twice as hot as yesterday."

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

What does 1 gallon of water weigh?

128 fluid ounces (1 gallon) of water weighs 128 ounces (8 lbs).

ZV

So you have to convert gallons into fluid ounces and then into pounds. Never mind that you may have memorized it - with the metric system, you need only make 1 conversion.

It's still not hard. Everyone thinks that the Imperial system is so hard, it's not unless you're lazy.

And your power outlets do not have on/off switches

Why would an outlet have a switch? The things you plug in have switches, you don't need another one.

*loops thumbs in the belt-loops of his jeans* Yeah-up, them furriners sure-nuf are diff-ernt.

ZV

 

[Draknor]

Originally posted by: exp
Who really cares if Joe Average uses degrees Fahrenheit in his everyday life? There's no reason to switch over just to conform with the rest of the world...it's just a waste of money.

See, i think its a waste of money now, because we HAVE to keep track of TWO systems. If you do mechanical work, you gotta have two sets of wrenches, and I'm sure time and money is wasted because this bolt will be an english bolt and you'll have your metric wrench out. And 9 1/2 months + $125 million is a lot of money gone to waste when a Mars orbiter crashes because of a mix-up in measuring systems.

Although, I do kinda like Fahrenheit more, but let's start a concerted effort to switch to the metric system. Here's hoping

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: jurzdevil
i think it all started around the revolution when we didnt want to be like anyone else. bad decision.

Where is everyone coming up w/ the idea that we did this to be different?

History lesson: A long long time ago, there was no metric system, at that time, the only scale for temperature was farenheit, so, we used that. Many years later, the metric system came along. Most places have switched. We haven't.

A long time ago there was only farenheit? hehe...

 

[rml]

Under Current System: A is 3 inches longer than B

Metric system: A is 7.5cm longer than B

2.5cm = 1 inch


I am measuring waist length

 

[Siddhartha]

For some people change is tough.

 

[exp]

See, i think its a waste of money now, because we HAVE to keep track of TWO systems. If you do mechanical work, you gotta have two sets of wrenches, and I'm sure time and money is wasted because this bolt will be an english bolt and you'll have your metric wrench out. And 9 1/2 months + $125 million is a lot of money gone to waste when a Mars orbiter crashes because of a mix-up in measuring systems.

Anything that requires precision should be on the metric system anyway, so NASA really screwed up there for sure. But for everyday use the English system is fine. Seriously, if you're taking a trip who cares if it's 60 miles to your destination instead of 100km? It doesn't matter...and it's certainly not worth replacing all the street signs in the entire country. Actually, because guide books and whatnot are written according to miles you'd probably have to replace all the signs twice--once to a mile/km transitional sign and then later to a km-only sign. That's a crapload of money to spend just so Americans can feel all warm and fuzzy for being just like everyone else.

I'm no fan of the English system, but with current budget deficits the way they are blowing billions of dollars in the switch to metric is probably #32,582 on my to-do list.

BTW, somebody needs to start a thread asking Europeans why they use a base 10 system. Everyone knows base 12 0wNz j0o!!11!!

*picks nose*

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
For some people change is tough.

that's probably the main reason. i'm sure americans have just as much problem with the metric system as i do with the english system...

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: KenGr
Actually, for everyday use Fahrenheit is a more practical and usable system. Even in the scientific world, Celsius is of dubious advantage. Yes, water is common but how often do the freezing and boiling points of water enter into chemical calculations?

Fahrenheit is intuitive. In the Northern Hemisphere temperate climates, 0 is about as low as the air gets and 100 is about as high as it gets. If you've ever noticed, Celsius thermometers and thermostats often have half degree increments while Fahrenheit does not need them. Metric makes sense in weight and length measurement, etc., but isn't really necessary in temperature measurements.

i find celsius infinitely more intuitive than fahrenheit. must be b/c i grew up with it see my point?

celsius does have an advantage in the scientific world b/c its scale is identitcal to kevin's

 

[exp]

celsius does have an advantage in the scientific world b/c its scale is identitcal to kevin's

The scientific community here in the U.S. has already switched to SI units.