Why should U.S. teachers of measurement units and skills study "Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the International System of Units for the United States; Notice" published as a Federal Register Notice in 1998; and also study NIST SP 330 of 2001 and SP 811 of 1995?
On pages 40339 and 40340 of the FRN are "Rules and Style Conventions" ..."for the use of the SI" (twelve numbered rules with many examples). Most of these rules and conventions are *not* stated in SP 330 (2001) which is limited to being an accurate translation of the latest 1998 edition in French of the BIPM Booklet on SI into American-English, without supplementary rules and conventions. Although an updated edition of "Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)" (NIST SP 811) is in preparation by Bary Taylor, one must go back to the 1995 edition of SP 811 to find comparable "Rules and Style Conventions for ..." in Sections 6, 7, and 9. Thus, all three latest editions, FRD-1998, SP 330-2001, and SP 911-1995 are currently important for teacher training and professional development. This SI triad is concerned with information and standard practices, and has nothing to do with the prosecution of illegal acts. Gene Mechtly.
