Hmmm, The longer we use imperial system, the resulting economic implications will be huge. The sooner we switch over to metric system, the better it'll be. Any how, I am OK with both but what a bore.
I was going to say the same. I was exposed to metric conversions in K-12, but never in a 'practical' sense. It wasn't until college when I realized metric was alive and well, and the high school should have focused more on it.
We're already fifty years past that point. ...far enough that it really doesn't matter anymore. Conversion is trivial, if needed, and for most it's not.
On the other hand, with China making all our imperial-based tools and whatnot, maybe they'll convert to pounds and ounces as being the more familiar.
My teachers made a valiant attempt to teach me metric in the 60's but I still have to go from 7.62mm=.30caliber to understand metric sizes. And I've survived with the limited knowledge. There's things I'd rather clutter my brain with.
Jim
So when you needed to, you figured it out. Lots of us have never needed to.
That's how we were taught math. The teacher tossed the book that was adding up apples 'Because who *likes* apples, anyway. Let's talk about money.'
Jim
You wouldn't be "cluttering your brai" if you would just give up converting one to the other. If they did away with this abortion tomorrow, by Wednesday you would have no problem...correction, by the first time you bought gas or some groceries youwouldn't even notice. I buy a "loaf" of bread and I have no clue as to its weight in either system. I buy a case of beer - again I have no idea if it is packed in metric or our screwed up system. Same with nuts, bolts, distance, etc.
Re: loaf of bread - the one in my refrig is not "1 pound", I just looked.
Harry K
m...
Yes, I recall something about gliders but 'side slipping' is part of standard powered flight training also.
Harry K
Same old problem. As long as they try to introduce it "gradually" it will be resisted. Change it on a given day and change it all at once and the reactionaries will not be able to bitch about having to convert one to another. Of course they won't like it but by the end of the week they would realize how asinine their resistance was.
Harry K
I understand how cups were invented but there is a better way. Back in the day, after milking the cows, you would have a bucket of milk. That was ok. Call it a gallon. Now we need a way to divide it up, so you take half and I will take half.
Take that and split it in half. Then split that in half. Then split that in half. Eventually you get a 15/16 wrench.
There is a better way. Divide things by 10 instead and fractions go away. Now isn't that better? Yes much. It is so much easier, in fact, that kids would jump at the idea at having a choice. Just give them a few math problems and see.
Who still loves fractions? Kids.......you want to make fractions go away forever? Yeah!
The way to make it go away is to just let the kids stop talking about "cups" at all. Old folks just keep using "cups" as long as you have recipes that are given in "cups" and slowly replace them with kids that understand liters naturally.
The time you save by eliminating fractions can be used for a few "ballpark" conversions that the "old folk" use.
I seem to remember, that because of no power, the airliner's air brakes were non-functional so he had to side slip like a simple glider to slow down.
TDD
You mean all those half gallon and quart things of milk in the grocery don't exist? (cue the Twilight Zone theme)
All done with the appropriate measuring utensils. Easy peazy (to quote Charlie Sheen among others>)
Again done my different set of measuring utensils. You don't eyeball a quart of milk any more than you eyeball an mL of milk or whatever. So you just decide what you want and get out the right measuring utensils. I have yet to find a lot of reasons to so the conversions and I have been a nurse for years. And when if it was needed, the pharmacy and/or the dispensing computer did what was needed to make the conversion.
You have a ruler graduated in 7ths?
Actually we'll all need a third set of tools in Chinese units:
That is pretty important. I get one. You get one. Obama gets one.
Of course not. An egg doesn't weigh a pound either. So?
How the hell would you know?
So because it is _possible_ to make the conversions the current system is better than not changing it to do away with conversions? Your logic sucks to be concise.
Harry K
Decimals are more precise, just depends on how minute yu want the measure, 10ths? 100ths? 1,000ths? and continue on down into the billionths if you want. And it can be done without a pencil and paper. Try that with fractions.
Harry K
:
The point is that I bet most people think they are buying a pound of bread.
I doubt if most people even have a guess at how much the package contains when they buy something - they just grab a box or bottle "that size".
Our system cannot be defended on any basis other than "it has always been that way".
Harry K
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