Metric or Inches?
07-09-2020, 09:54 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,444
I cheat and ask the Googles. "Google, how many centimeters in 12 inches?" "Twelve inches is 30.48 centimeters."
"Google, how many tablespoons are in a cup?" "4 US tablespoons is equal to .25 cup". "Thank you Google." "You're welcome" lol.
"Google, how many tablespoons are in a cup?" "4 US tablespoons is equal to .25 cup". "Thank you Google." "You're welcome" lol.
07-09-2020, 02:57 PM
#14
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Canon City,CO
Posts: 51
My theory is that as Americans we are not able to visualize the different metric amounts. If someone tells me I need a 4” square, I can visualize it in my mind and know approximately how big that is. But if someone tells me I need a 10 cm square, I have no idea how big that is. If someone tells me I need to go a mile, I know approximately how far that is but I can’t tell you when I’ve gone approximately a kilometer. They need to not only teach us the theory but a visual too.
07-09-2020, 05:06 PM
#16
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: western NY formerly MN, FL, NC, SC
Posts: 51,430
this is what I do.... I couldn't live without Google
07-09-2020, 06:12 PM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,444
My theory is that as Americans we are not able to visualize the different metric amounts. If someone tells me I need a 4” square, I can visualize it in my mind and know approximately how big that is. But if someone tells me I need a 10 cm square, I have no idea how big that is. If someone tells me I need to go a mile, I know approximately how far that is but I can’t tell you when I’ve gone approximately a kilometer. They need to not only teach us the theory but a visual too.
07-09-2020, 06:12 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Ontario
Posts: 309
I think that for a lot of Canadians it depends on age. I was working a part time job in a fabric store in the late 70s when the company officially changed over. Most customers didn’t like it at the time but it made sense to change to conform to what all other countries except the US was doing. For things used all the time I think in metric....temperature, speed and distances and most measurements. Exceptions....when cooking I never think 205oC but rather 400oF and I never think 6.35mm but rather 1/4”. I don’t know why parts of the system stuck and others didn’t but I imagine I will be using a hybrid forever......old dogs etc etc.
07-09-2020, 07:10 PM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,526
Well put Cattitude. Oven temps are in degrees Fahrenheit even tho my stove will do both. Outside temps are in Celsius simply because that is the one conversion that I cannot do in my head and our thermostat is Celsius. Dh is a whiz at it but he worked in the US a lot and I think he basically memorized the conversion chart.
I like that--we're hybrids!!
I like that--we're hybrids!!
07-09-2020, 07:51 PM
#20
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Blue Mountains, Australia.
Posts: 152
This is interesting, "...there are only 3 countries in the world that are still officially using the imperial system: The United States of America, Myanmar, and Liberia. However, in Myanmar and Liberia, the metric system has been used parallel with imperial, and both countries are on their way to completely switch on using only one, which would be the metric system. That leaves us with the US being the biggest country that will continue to use the imperial system of measurements."
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/...al-system.html
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/...al-system.html
