Could you please post this to the YAHOO group for me.
Thanks,
greg
Reply to Jake...
I would strongly suspect that if both systems were taught in a European school, the
children would still prefer metric since everything around them is in metric units.
If US industry and government decided tomorrow that everything should switch to metric
then every American would be using and preferring metric over WOMBAT. You see it in
Canada. When metric is the only system used, metric is used. If Imperial is the only
system used, Imperial is used. When both systems are offered it depends on which
system you were taught first, metric or Imperial. There are more people using metric
and few using Imperial everyday!
Any benefit that WOMBAT may have is definately overshadowed by all the benefits of
metric.
1. metric is based on multiples of 10
WOMBAT is based on multiples of 160, 120, 72, 64, 60, 32, 24, 16, 12, 8, 5.1/2, 3,
and 2 depending whether you are using length, mass or capacity.
2. metric is a cohesive system: 1 dm^3 = 1 L, 1 L water = 1 kg, 0°C = melting point of
water at sea level. 1 N = force needed to accelerate1 kg at 1 m/s², 1 Pa = force of 1
N per m², J = energy needed to exert a force of 1 N over a distance of 1 m, W = the
amount of work done when 1 J of energy is exterted over 1 second.
WOMBAT is not a cohesive system 1 US gallon = 231 cu.in. or 0.1336806 cu.ft. and 1
US gallon of water is 8 lbs, 5 oz., 8 drams, 24.104 grains....
3. Metric is used and understood by over 5700 million people.
WOMBAT is used by less than 300 million people and understood by no one.
4. WOMBAT can be divide a foot in to 2, 3, or 4 equal parts, a pound in 8, 4, or 2
equal parts, and a gallon into 120, 60, 40, 30, 20, 10, 4, and 2 equal parts using
simple fractions.
So can the metre, kilogram, and litre. You can also divide them into 10, 100,
1000, 100'000, 1'000'000, 10'000'000, etc. equal parts using simple decimal fractions.
5. Metric an be used with ease and efficiency on a calculator or computer.
WOMBAT... try adding 1/4 + 3/16 + 5/32 + 7/64 on a calculator without doing the
division first!
6. Metric conversions from one multiple to the next can be done mentally with ease
after only a 15 minute introduction to the system.
WOMBAT unit conversions can be done mentally with ease, but only after a lifetime
of practice and daily use.
7. Metric has only 1 measurement for each physical phenomenon: metre, kilogram,
second, Kelvin, Ampere, candella, and mole.
WOMBAT has hundreds that differ from one trade to the next making cross topic
comparisons impossible.
I challenge Jake to give me a list of benefits of WOMBAT that cannot be done equally
using metric.
greg
>>> "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 2000-10-12 18:36:43 >>>
2000-10-12
Kristen wrote the same message to the Yahoo metric club. Anti-metric Jake
wrote this in response to her. I think all of us should go to the yahoo
site and respond to Jake's claim or go directly to Kristen and point out
where and why Jake is wrong.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Jakeb61 [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, 2000-10-11 01:23
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Questions about the Metric System [Yahoo! Clubs: Metric
America]
Hi Kristen.
As I'm indending to be a Middle School teacher I feel obligated to address
your post. I strongly object to teaching exclusively metric system. In the
Unites States we use 2 systems, with metric being set for more scientific
purposes and ifp for daily measurements. Teaching only 1 system would
deprive the kids of possesing a rich and diverse choices of measurement. We
should teach BOTH systems and let the kids DECIDE what they prefer to use.
Metric in science is fine but compulsory conversion in areas such as road
signs or food labeling is totally unbeneficial to anyone. Yes we (Americans)
did not create the system, it was brought over from England but we've
modified it and we've always used it, therefore it makes up a part of our
culture, history and heritage.
I have a lot of friends that are in High School and they've been taught both
systems, yet their preference for our standard system in most areas in
undeniable. This is a free country, we should never deny kids the knowledge
of a system that is very efficient and in many ways excels over the metric
system.
J
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