tragedy of the metric system is that it uses
decimal base. Bring back base 12: one, dozen, gross. How did we lose
it in the first place? Was it that Arabic mathematicians were so much
more advanced than their European counterparts?
John B
Gordon Uber [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Let's face it: The Babylonians got it right when they developed the base-60
system. It was applied to the sixth of a circle (one sixtieth of this
being a degree) and the hour, of which we still use the first and second
minutes. Third minutes
@rrz.uni-koeln.de sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de
Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: metric
Peter Tandy wrote:
Americans should be warned. If you 'go
metric' as Britain has been forced to do it will seem a very strange
world
for those not brought up to it from an early age. What
Heh heh! I measure in micro, pico, and nano-lightyears...
-Original Message-
From: Tom McHugh [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Tony Moss [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Frank Evans
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; Sundial Mail List
sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de
Date: Saturday, February 12, 2000 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: metric
As a teacher of some fairly typical American (U.S.) 14 - 15 year olds, I
can state without exception that the students do not prefer British
units over metric units, because they don't know either system. My
attitude is, since they don't know either system, I teach them metrics.
Things I have
Peter Tandy [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
... Of course, for some specialised work,
metric measurements are no better and no worse; atronomers for instance do
better with the numbers they need to measure huge distances, when in a
metric form, and physicists with the numbers they need to measure
Fellow Shadow Watchers,
As a teacher within the UK educational system I
went entirely metric from the late 60's. If school examinations were to
be exclusively metric there was no choice. Everything in Imperial
Measure was ruthlessly discarded; not a rod, pole, perch
Tony Moss [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
The US of course still use Queen Anne's gallon which the Imperial
system replaced with a larger unit later on. We often forget this
when comparing fuel prices.
Tony Moss
I guess one could say that Queen Anne's gallon has outlived the
imperial gallon which
Let's face it: The Babylonians got it right when they developed the base-60
system. It was applied to the sixth of a circle (one sixtieth of this
being a degree) and the hour, of which we still use the first and second
minutes. Third minutes (sixtieths of second minutes) are not in common
On Tue, 15 Feb 2000, Gordon Uber wrote:
Third minutes (sixtieths of second minutes) are not in common
use, although I would note that the third minute of an hour is the period
of U.S. power main standard 60 Hz alternating current. Coincidence?
Hmm... Surprised I never noticed that!
And you are quite right, Gordon! I jumped to minutes, from seconds...
Something like that usually happens when I nitpick at someone else's typo!
How about 5 and 24 uRad for limiting sizes?
Dave
On Tue, 15 Feb 2000, Gordon Uber wrote:
Dave,
You are quite correct: 17.45 mrad = 1 deg, not
you
and me - whereas metric measurements have no relationship at all. Thus it
is much easier to estimate ditances in feet and inches than it is in metres
and (the absurdly small) millimetres. Of course, for some specialised work,
metric measurements are no better and no worse; atronomers for instance
Peter Tandy wrote:
Americans should be warned. If you 'go
metric' as Britain has been forced to do it will seem a very strange world
for those not brought up to it from an early age. What the hell is a litre
of petrol?? Mercifully though, I can still get a pint of beer, and with
that I know
Hello All,
The company I work for has be metric for years. However printed circuit
boards are still laid out in English units. I think this is because
Integrated circuit packages have traditionally be designed in Inches.
Integrated circuit die are now talked about in gates per square
millimeter
Actually, the old UK length system is a curious mixture of decimal and
non-decimal
Start with a mile
Take half = half a mile = 880 yards
Take half = a quarter mile = 440 yards
Take half = 1 furlong = 220 yards
Now go decimal
Divide by 10 = 1 chain = 22 yards = length of one cricket pitch
Now
On Mon, 14 Feb 2000, The Shaws wrote:
Actually, the old UK length system is a curious mixture of decimal and
non-decimal
Start with a mile
Take half = half a mile = 880 yards
Take half = a quarter mile = 440 yards
Take half = 1 furlong = 220 yards
Then, here is where horse racing
Dave Bell [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Try Russia: Not only do they have 5 (and somtimes more) grades at the
pump, up to 110 Octane (unheard of in the US since the 60's, except for
boats and aircraft), but a typical upper-middle grade, maybe 90 Octane,
sells for around 6 Rubles, about $0.23/14
that most people who have to do math would prefer to use metric, myself
included, but we're stuck with the old outdated system and have to live
with it.
John
What exactly is the current situation, in the UNITED STATES, re. 'metric'
measurements ? - as I was led to believe it is the LEGAL standard
of the English system, the man on the street gets
confused between mass and weight when talking about pounds.
However, it seems like the metric man on the street gets confused
between mass and weight when talking about kilograms, though it's
my impression that the metric man may be slightly less
U.S. Federal contracts require metric units (but usually not standard
metric sizes) . The U.S. populace still thinks in English customary
units. For example, highway construction is specified in metric units;
highway speeds are in customary units.
U.S. customary units have long been
What's all this inches nonsense.
Tsk, Tsk. How could you? !
Patrick
Frank Evans contributed:
What's all this inches nonsense. Anyone would think we were back
landing on the moon or something. Napoleon, thou should'st be living at
this hour.
and we'd tear every bone apart!
Guess who!
metric, myself
included, but we're stuck with the old outdated system and have to live with it.
John
What's all this inches nonsense. Anyone would think we were back
landing on the moon or something. Napoleon, thou should'st be living at
this hour.
Frank 55N 1W
--
Frank Evans
you have the geriatric set that are
both easily confused and very loud complainers. (Soda pop is successful sold
in liters though...)
The most humorous thing I've heard though is the sentiment by many in
congress that the metric system is 'communist'!
metrically yours,
Troy
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