I just received a complimentary American Express appointment book. (In
following years they will want me to pay for each year's edition if I wish to
keep getting them.)
A quick review brought me to a section in the back that provides handy
information. One device is a nomograph (a dual-scale number line, actually)
to convert back and forth between degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius.
Holy swiss cheese! This thing is unbelievably screwed up. The first thing I
noticed is that 0 °C was opposite 10 °F. Then I looked closer. Between the
tick marks for -10 °C and 0 °C there are 8 gradations. Between 0 °C and 10 °C
there are 10. Between 10 °C and 20 °C there are 9.
The numbers on the Fahrenheit side don't line up with the major tick marks.
Roughly though, it looks like even the ratio of the sizes of the two degrees
is screwed up.
But they have let themselves off the hook. The front of the book credits the
American Express Publishing Corporation (with no address) and provides the
statement:
While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and
clarity of the information presented in this book, we cannot be
held liable for any errors or inconsistencies.
There are some nice features in this book but I would not cite it as a metric
reference!
Jim
--
James R. Frysinger
Lifetime Certified Advanced Metrication Specialist
Senior Member, IEEE
http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Office:
Physics Lab Manager, Lecturer
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
University/College of Charleston
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424
843.953.7644 (phone)
843.953.4824 (FAX)
Home:
10 Captiva Row
Charleston, SC 29407
843.225.0805
