Road Signs: Time to change to Metric?

[gatos]

Originally Posted by green van man

Is there not a case for remaining individuals with the ability to use both? Why the need to make things easy? I can and do work in both systems with no problem, could it be that the mental calculations keep me more alert and focused on the job.
In the general dumbing down rush to the bottom cannot we be a beacon of hope for those capable of working things out for themselves.
25.4mm= 1"
39"=1m
Fractions if inches 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 etc or thousandths are easy enough to use and .000" are a lot easier to read on a venier gauge than the metric scale, micrometers makes no odds, its a reading.

I listened to a radio debate some time ago on this subject and the protagonists had to agree that the base 12 imperial system was far more versatile than the base 10 metric system and no more difficult to use once learned. The only thing going for the metric system was more used it. Which brings me back to my first point.

Paul.

Some south east asian cultures do use the 12 numeric system and it is indeed very practical for everyday life. However, it would be impossible to apply in science yet again. I see the imperial system as part of the culture of the UK, and I have embraced it, use it on my daily life and have no problems converting either way. However, if I am to be honest, it is a lot more illogical to use than the much much simpler metric system.

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by gatos

Some south east asian cultures do use the 12 numeric system and it is indeed very practical for everyday life. However, it would be impossible to apply in science yet again. I see the imperial system as part of the culture of the UK, and I have embraced it, use it on my daily life and have no problems converting either way. However, if I am to be honest, it is a lot more illogical to use than the much much simpler metric system.

If we did have a single imperial system that used one base then it might be easier, for length it is 12" to 1' then 3' to a yard, 22 yards to a chain, 10 chains in a furlong and 8 furlongs in a mile - where is the base 12 in this little lot?

And then for weight we have 16 ounces equal 1 pound, 14 pounds (lb) equal 1 stone, 8 st (or 112lb ) to 1 hundred weight (cwt) and 20 cwt equal 1 Ton.

Clearly all using Base 12? - somehow I think not (and I won't go into power where the numbers get really stupid)

shown like this our system doesn't make sense, and it didn't when I was at school - the metric system is so much more logical and much easier to use, luckily I had forward thinking teachers and a Scottish education system that allowed us to use MKS way back then when the English schools were still using imperial measurements

[gatos]

lol. go figure out what the square root of 5' 2" & 5/16" is..... lol,

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by green van man

Is there not a case for remaining individuals with the ability to use both? Why the need to make things easy? I can and do work in both systems with no problem, could it be that the mental calculations keep me more alert and focused on the job.
In the general dumbing down rush to the bottom cannot we be a beacon of hope for those capable of working things out for themselves.
25.4mm= 1"
39"=1m
Fractions if inches 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 etc or thousandths are easy enough to use and .000" are a lot easier to read on a venier gauge than the metric scale, micrometers makes no odds, its a reading.

I listened to a radio debate some time ago on this subject and the protagonists had to agree that the base 12 imperial system was far more versatile than the base 10 metric system and no more difficult to use once learned. The only thing going for the metric system was more used it. Which brings me back to my first point.

Paul.

I think Imperial measurements are fine for those who have been taught and brought up using it, but people like me (90's kid) were never taught the Imperial system and it's totally out of sync with everything we've been taught at school and brought up with. It should be standardised.

[DaveNP]

Here's a compromise, lets all start to use base16! What do you mean you've never heard of it? Computers work by using hexadecimal. 0123456789ABCDEF
Seriously any system is easy if you've been brought up with it, so those of us old enough to have learnt imperial measures can do them and decimal because we learnt to count in base10.
Historically there have been cultures that used base12 which is logical when you consider that you have 3 joints on each of your 4 fingers

the biggest problem with imperial measures are as wimorrison says the arcane way in which different bases are used in even one system so 12inches=1foot, 3feet=1yard etc let alone the inconsistency between length, weight (16oz=1lb) and volume (8pint=1gal)

[gatos]

The insanity of imperial measurements

[wimorrison]

Can you please post a link to this picture please?

It is superb and I can think of many uses

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by wimorrison

Can you please post a link to this picture please?

Right click the image and copy the location....

http://www.whydoesitsuck.com/public/why-does-the-imperial-system-suck/english-length-units.png

Des. . .

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by CTCNetwork

Hi,

Right click the image and copy the location....

http://www.whydoesitsuck.com/public/why-does-the-imperial-system-suck/english-length-units.png

Des. . .

Difficult on an iPad

Might that be why I asked for the URL?

[gatos]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

Difficult on an iPad

Might that be why I asked for the URL?

I am actually wondering how many poppy seeds thick is your ipad?

Also, how many shackles is the wifi range?....