I meant to reply on this one a couple weeks ago, when someone commented on having to study for their Statics exam using "foot-inch-whatever" measure instead of standard metric.
I can sympathize with this, as someone who does adjunct/SBIR/academic-NSF out of a small college. Periodically I hear students in the study room trying to solve problems using feet, pounds, and "slugs", and complaining loudly why everything can't just be metric. I feel their pain, but am certainly not going to interfere with how another professor teaches his course. Unless of course they ask me how to solve a problem, as usually in my lab working late in the evening. In that case the answer is "I don't know", or "I don't know unless I can convert everything to metric, solve the problem, and convert back if that's what's required." Sorry, I don't go along with this "solve the problem in the units you're given" philosophy, as if it's somehow supposed to imply versatility in dealing with the global marketplace. In a world where *no one else* use 18th century units, it's just another excuse to do nothing. Nat -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cole Sent: Monday, 2007 December 03 4:26 To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: Paul Trusten Subject: [USMA:39837] Re: the U.S. SHALL go metric Paul and others, I rarely respond in forums, but after taking a calculus quiz on Friday with a problem having measurements in ft. (covering applications to physics and engineering), I completely agree with your statement and sentiment. It is past time to metricate America. -- -----Thanks!----- Cole Kingsbury IAVCEI #1575; GSA #9088311 Geology Undergrad -- UAF http://www.uaf.edu/geology [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------- GEOLOGY JOKE DU MOIS: Q: What volcanic rock type makes for a poor lighting source? A: Phonolite (phoney light) -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Paul Trusten <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > USMA and its supporters are small in number, but that doesn't matter. > > > "A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable thirst in > their mission can alter the course of history." --Mohandas K. Gandhi
