[USMA:34369] Re: Ways to Metricate (was Re: Re: Nibbled toDeath by Ducks)

[Carleton MacDonald]

A story I’ve told before, but retold here for the benefit of those new to the list   My company bought some new ticket printers.  They have print heads that have to be replaced periodically.  The ticket printers came from France so the specs said the print head was good for about 100 km of tickets.  The techies in our group asked how many tickets that was.   I measured one ticket, was silent for five seconds, then said “about 500 boxes of tickets.”   “How did you come up with that answer?”   “Simple.  Each ticket is 200 mm.  There are 1000 tickets in a box.  200 meters per box, five boxes per kilometer, 500 boxes for 100 km.  Now let’s use your inches and miles.  Eight inches per tickets, 62.5 miles per print head.  Have fun doing that in your head.”   Carleton   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Remek Kocz Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 16:40 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:34367] Re: Ways to Metricate (was Re: Re: Nibbled toDeath by Ducks)   Precisely.  Such calculations are trivial with metric.  Your post reminds me of the time I was toying around with siphoning the accumulated rainwater off of our pool cover.  It was hot and the family wanted to swim, so I had to find a quick way of removing the water.  Having quickly estimated the volume (m^3) and the flow rates (L/min), I calculated the time it would take for all the water to flow out and immediately grabbed a large pail and proceeded to empty the pool cover by hand.  Somehow, a fascinating 6-hour siphoning demo didn't appeal to the kids. Metric is incredible when it comes to making quick estimates in one's head.  On 9/8/05, Nat Hager III <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: While we're discussing math excercies, here's a good relevant problem I discussed in intro physics class today: The media are reporting that at least one pump is pumping out about 27,000 gallons/min of water from New Orleans, which I take to be a soft conversion of 100,000 liters/min.  How long does it take to drain a given area, given an estimated depth of the water?  In metric you do it in one or two steps in your head, in Imperial get out the calcuator.... Nat -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Howard Ressel Sent: Thursday, 2005 September 08 14:45 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:34363] Re: Ways to Metricate (was Re: Re: Nibbled toDeath by Ducks) Some of my kids text books treat it independently. Some of my son's math exercises where units were required but not the subject of the lesson, were in metric.  My kids learn it as a system. The problem is there is no place for them to apply it other than the lesson they learn, science class etc. Howard Ressel Project Design Engineer, Region 4 (585) 272-3372 >>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 9/8/2005 12:52:48 PM >>> I suspect they teach it as conversions, and not as the stand-alone system it should be. Carleton -------------- Original message -------------- > --- "Hillger, Don" wrote: > > I think two of the most basic ways to promote metric > > are: > > > > 1) Work to make sure our schools teach metric to youngsters ... > > I thought all US public schools taught metric these days. Is this not > correct? > > Rod Jones > > > > > ______________________________________________________ > Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. > http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/ >