2001-03-25
Now what I want to know is what transpired after? After your friend figured
out the price quickly, did he explain to the salesman that by using metric
measures he was able to get an accurate price quickly without the confusion
of using feet/inch to square yard conversions? Did the salesman ever figure
it out?
Was the sales man impressed, and convinced that metric is by far easier? Or
was he one of those dummies that would rather muddle through useless
calculations to come up with an answer he is not sure is correct, just
because it is the American way?
Which brings up another question....How can the customer be sure he isn't
being gypped in this muddle? If the customer can't do the math and relies
on the salesman to do it, and the salesman can't do it, and just gives it
his best shot, then how does the customer know if he is incorrectly charged
for the product?
For those of us who are numerate, all we need to do is make sure we know how
many square metres we need and how many standard sheets or rolls will meet
that requirement. Then we need to know the price per roll or sheet, or if
sold by area, the price per square metre. If the price is given per square
FFU, then we immediately convert it to a price per square metre, and from
there, we calculate our cost.
I think if more of show how much easier it is to measure and calculate in
metric, we may gain some believers. But somehow I think the masses would
rather be confused then convinced and converted.
John
Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt
frei zu sein.
There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they
re free!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, 2001-03-24 22:37
Subject: [USMA:11810] Floor covering
Dear All,
I have rewritten a story I gathered from this list within the last few
weeks.
A few months ago, a friend of mine in the USA went to buy some vinyl floor
covering. He was shown some imported material that was about 6 ft 6 3/4 in
wide (My friend reckoned that they were actually 2 metres wide, but the shop
person didn't know that).
As my friend needed a little under 2.5 metres he asked for 8 ft 2 1/2 in.
When he asked the price, he found that the assistant had to work it out to
figure a price in square yards. Now let's see: 8' 2 1/2" x 6' 6 3/4" ÷ 9 = ?
My friend says the assistant was there, battling with his calculator, for a
long time!
In the meantime my friend multiplied 2 x 2.5 to get 5 square metres (m2).
And to while away the time he converted 5 m2 to 6 sq. yds. using the
10111213 rule.
For those who don't know it, the 10111213 reads like this:
10 m = 11 yds. (approx.)
10 m2 = 12 squ. yds. (approx.)
10 m3 = 13 cub.yds. (approx.)
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin CAMS
Geelong, Australia
