Why America is anti-metric
- Thread starter Quattro Pete
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Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Only good thing about Km vs miles is 100=60.......
But only roughly. It's closer to 62 which explains why cars have slower acceleration times to 100 km/h rather than 60 mph.
An inch has been standardised to exactly 25.4 mm but some other conversions are commonly rounded, such as 2.2 lbs/kg (2.20462) which can lead to irritating inconsistencies when you are doing engineering calculations.
Originally Posted By: Whitewolf
I didn't see anyone mention furlongs, rods, and chains yet.
Not to forget the media's popular use of "the length of a football field."
We still use cords, referring to chopped wood, although I suspect no one here knows how much that really is. And, I notice some swimming pools are 25 yards x 25 meters, lanes configurable either direction.
Originally Posted By: weasley
Here in the UK we are stuck between two systems.
Sounds exactly the same as it was in the early 1980s. It must the the influence of doing business with continental Europe - just metric enough to get the job done.
Only good thing about Km vs miles is 100=60.......
But only roughly. It's closer to 62 which explains why cars have slower acceleration times to 100 km/h rather than 60 mph.
An inch has been standardised to exactly 25.4 mm but some other conversions are commonly rounded, such as 2.2 lbs/kg (2.20462) which can lead to irritating inconsistencies when you are doing engineering calculations.
Originally Posted By: Whitewolf
I didn't see anyone mention furlongs, rods, and chains yet.
Not to forget the media's popular use of "the length of a football field."
We still use cords, referring to chopped wood, although I suspect no one here knows how much that really is. And, I notice some swimming pools are 25 yards x 25 meters, lanes configurable either direction.
Originally Posted By: weasley
Here in the UK we are stuck between two systems.
Sounds exactly the same as it was in the early 1980s. It must the the influence of doing business with continental Europe - just metric enough to get the job done.
Americans are exceedingly good at math. Converting between fractions and decimals is child's play. A few months ago I found out that 3/4" wood is actually 20mm. I double checked and it was really 0.76" or 76/100" or 19/25".That means if they sell you 20 mm instead of 3/4"wood you get more wood. I'll choose 19/25" over a 3/4" wood each time.
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