This is because he does not want to learn metric, eventhough it would make
life a lot easier for him (and his "three full bladders in the backseat".
Linda Bergeron
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Nat Hager III" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Subject: [USMA:36854] Conversion tips for the metrically challenged
Date: Sat, 27 May 2006 08:46:25 -0400
>>I find it much easier to comprehend the difference between 60 F and 72 F
than the difference between 19 C and 22 C, though the ranges are roughly the
same.
>>
This is really pathetic. Not only can't the guy learn anything new, but he
can't even take the time to get the conversion right.
60°F = 16°C
Nat
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Conversion tips for the metrically challenged
What to wear on a blistering 33-degree day in Europe, and other metric tips
By John Frenaye
Columnist
Tripso.com
Updated: 2:49 p.m. ET May 23, 2006
Every week, one of my kids asks me if math will really help a person in the
âreal world.â? Toeing the line, my answer is always, âOf course.â?
For good measure, I tell a story from a previous life, when I had to get a
score of 70 percent to pass a Master Electrician licensing exam in Virginia;
my employerâs project depended on my passing the exam. It came down to a
question of Ohmâs law and, believe it or not, my algebra kicked in: I was
able to apply Ohmâs law and I passed the test with (you guessed it) a 70.
So, yes, absolutely, math is incredibly useful in real life. But what
happens when the math changes?
Iâm talking about the metric system and foreign currencies, the bane of
many American travelers. We have never gotten the hang of them, and we are
paying for it -- sometimes literally. Iâm pretty sure I overspend every
time I travel because I donât want to look like an idiot as I struggle to
convert currency to a number with which Iâm familiar. And how many items
of clothing have I purchased on vacation because I misjudged the Celsius
temperature? Over the years, I have come up with a few quick conversions
that will help the math-challenged when they travel abroad.
liters x 4 = gallons
In most of the world, gasoline and other liquids are sold in liters, not
gallons. To get an approximate idea of the gallon price, multiply the liter
price by four. Itâs not exact but itâs pretty close (âclose enough for
government work,â? as they say in my part of the country).
If you are purchasing fuel, you will probably think this liters-to-gallons
calculation is wrong. I assure you, it is correct. Gas costs a fortune
outside the United States. American fuel prices have been a bargain forever
and still are a bargain today, even though they are approaching $3 a gallon
(higher out West). For example, the price of gasoline in Milan is $2.85 per
liter. (Yes, I know the price would be in euros, but bear with me; weâll
get to euros in a minute.) Multiplying by four, the cost per gallon works
out to be about $11.40. Outrageous! Still, you need fuel, so pay for it,
deal with it and move on. But turn off that air conditioner; youâll get
better mileage.
Celsius x 2 + 30 = Fahrenheit
When the front desk calls your room at 6 a.m. with your wake-up call, you
tune to the news and hear that itâs 33 degrees Celsius. So, you bundle up.
Wrong answer! 33 degrees Celsius is roughly 96 degrees Fahrenheit. I find it
much easier to comprehend the difference between 60 F and 72 F than the
difference between 19 C and 22 C, though the ranges are roughly the same. I
just never got the hang of the metric system. My second-grade teacher told
me Iâd live to regret it, and she was right.
A simple calculation is to take the Celsius temperature, multiply it by two
and add 30 â again, not exact, but it will be close enough to know whether
you need the parka or the bikini. Note, however, that the quick calculation
does not work at the extremes of the temperature scales, but if youâre
traveling to Antarctica or the Sahara desert, you already know what the
weather is going to be like.
(euro price x 2) - last number + original euro price = US dollars
They say that money is the root of all evil (and most divorces), and it
certainly tends to be a problem for travelers. There are literally hundreds
of currencies in this word and there is no universal conversion rule for all
those pesos and rupees and bahts. But it is possible to wrap your mind
around the euro, the currency of the European Union. Yes, I know the euro
fluctuates more often than my son whines about video games, but recently
one1 euro has cost about $1.20.
The conversion hint for this euro/dollar exchange is a little tricky.
Youâll start with the euro price and youâll need to remember it. Here
you go: To get the dollar value, double the euro price, drop the last digit
and then add back the original number. (Strategically placed pause to catch
up.) For example, you are looking at a beautiful Louis Vuitton golf-club bag
on the Champs-Elysées with a price tag of 5,300 euros. So, take the 5,300
and double it (10,600), drop the last number -- a zero -- and you have
1,060; now add back the original euro price, 5,300, for a total of $6,360.
(Now I know why I donât golf -- or shop on the Champs-Elysées.) Itâs
not an exact calculation, but it gets you in the ballpark. Checking in at
http://www.xe.com/, a wonderful currency Web site, the exact conversion at
press time was $6,414.83, which reflects a higher exchange rate.
There are a few other quick conversions that may help you; they are not
quite as accurate but they do help. A kilogram is about two pounds. A
kilometer is about half a mile. Again, not entirely accurate, but it does
help to know that 100 kilometers is roughly 50 miles -- especially when you
are on the autobahn with three full bladders in the back seat asking âAre
we there yet?â?
The answer is, âNo!â?
Do you have any conversion tips for me? Please send me an e-mail
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and I will include them in a future column.
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© 2006 MSNBC.com
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