Mr. James Salzer Atlanta Journal-Constitution Dear Mr. Salzer: I was reading along with interest your interesting article which was ranked high enough to start above the fold of the front page. Congratulations! I followed it along to its conclusion on page A12 where in the fifth paragraph from the end, I saw a telling albeit innocent remark by science teacher Amy Denty. It shows one of the great difficulties that permeates our society with regard to our use of math and science. She said,"I think the core curriculum, at least for middle school, is a mile wide and and inch deep." Although the percentage of students who passed the math segment increased from 1999 to 2000, it is a fact that we have wasted 25 years since the 1975 Metric Conversion Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Ford. Many if not most segments of industry find that it is necessary to use the International System of Units (SI-the metric system) and will become increasing hampered in world markets to whatever degree they cling to inch-pound-gallon units. These units should be referred to as WOMBAT (Way Of Measuring Badly in America Today). Math and science are quite intertwined. As soon as Ms. Denty uses in her daily speech, "a kilometer wide and a centimeter deep", and her students are thinking in those terms, we will be on the road to vast improvement. The only way in which math can be economically used with WOMBAT is when it is decimalized. Even then we are confronted with shifting from inches to feet by having to make calculations at some point by 12, yards to feet by 3, miles to feet by 5280, ounces to pounds by 16, fluid ounces to pints by 16, gallons to quarts by 4, quarts to pints by 2, etc. With the International System of Units (SI-metric), we just move the decimal point for tens, hundreds, thousands, etc. I retired from active full time employment as an accountant two years ago. I that the U.S. Congress of the late 1700s for choosing the decimalized dollars and cents over the British pounds, shillings, pence, and farthings which, until 1971, involved factors of 4, 12, and 20. It will make a difference and we are making it hard on ourselves by delaying the inevitable day of daily use of SI-metric in all areas of American life. Sincerely, Norman Werling 1240 Hunters Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083-2545 404-292-9328
