Re: SI vs. US/Imperial

by KristallNacht on Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:06 am

not that it matters in the modern day, when conversion is as simple as typing "(X) liters to gallons" in google

by **Rasq'uire'laskar** on Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:23 am

YouCurse wrote:We use metric in New Zealand, they don't even teach us imperial.

Very easy, it follows rules that are used for all of it's types of measurement, 1000 millimeters is 1 meter and 1000 meters is 1 kilometer, 1000 milliliters is 1 liter. Also cubic meters easily converts to liters. Metric is very easy for any kind of conversions.
Like I could understand the imperial system if it were correct, like if 1 foot was the length of an average foot. In that case, the imperial system would be good for everyday activities if you don't have like a ruler with you or something. But it isn't even correct, an average foot is 9.5 inches, not 12, even you are wearing shoes it wouldn't add 2.5 inches if you were wearing the right size.

Back when it was defined by the length of a man's foot, it varied from ~10 inches to 13 inches (in Venice. There was probably a different origin for that metric) Of course, for reasons of trade, standard 'feet' were often defined by cities, and then by trade groups.

The 12 inch foot was defined by King Henry I, who really did have a 12-inch foot.

Anyhow, if you ever /really/ want to screw with somebody's head, take a mechanic and replace his measuring tape (Imperial) with one that measures decimal inches. Seeing them try to figure out what 5/12 is on a tape that gives only tenths of an inch is priceless.

by **Rotaretilbo** on Sun Sep 18, 2011 4:07 am

KristallNacht wrote:not that it matters in the modern day, when conversion is as simple as typing "(X) liters to gallons" in google

But NT, is that an Imperial Gallon, US Liquid Gallon, or US Dry Gallon? The answer being 4.54609L, 3.785411784L, 4.40488377086L respectively.

by KristallNacht on Sun Sep 18, 2011 4:10 am

lol I know, same with TONS.

I have to deal with metric and standard shit all the time (tools)

whats nice about a HMMWV, is almost everything that is 1st and 2nd echelon maintenance is in Standard, and everything that is exclusively 3rd and 4th echelon is Metric.