Ma Be wrote in USMA 18932:

> First of all, we should NOT shun decimals.  Decimals are always a part of
>the measuring exercise, it's just ludicrous to expect that we can avoid
>them altogether.  Secondly, the very rules of SI usage would call for a
>preference for fundamental units when at least the unit 1 is achieved,
>like in the case of people's heights (usually human adults are all taller
>than 1 meter).  Thirdly, there is some merit in avoiding intermediate
>prefixes such as d, c, da (or D) and h.  Not that I'd go to extreme in
>doing that, besides we should always allow some room for convenience here
>and there, but as a general policy this seems to at least make some sense.


In France 1,5 m is popularly expressed as "un m�tre cinquante" instead of
"un virgule cinq m�tre".

Joseph B.Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto  M5P 1C8             TEL. 416-486-6071

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