Why do americans still measure in feet/inches

KillaCam

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The US is too cool to be like the rest of the world. They're special. Honest.
 

Phyzzle

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My biggest complaint is that I grew up solely with the metric system, but we still use SI for a lot of things.
Actaully, SI is another name for the metric system.

I think you mean to contrast SI/metric units with customary/imperial units.
 

Teflon_Mcgee

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Phyzzle said:
Actaully, SI is another name for the metric system.

I think you mean to contrast SI/metric units with customary/imperial units.
Actually, unless my memory mistakes me, SI is an international standard of measurements used in science and engineering. Depending on what you are measuring (i.e., rotational force, energy, volume, work, momentum, temperature, etc...) you use a certain unit of measurment (i.e. joules, grams, newtons, kelvins, cm, etc...) not exclusively metric. It just so happens most SI units are metric.

Though I will admit, I could be wrong.
 

diablo

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Many Americans do use the metric system virtually every day, especially those in public schools. There, they learn vital knowledge regarding the proper methods of measuring and paying for grams and ounces. :rolleyes:
 

Call_Me_Daddy

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The reason its still around is because its always been around. It's just easier to keep it than to ask EVERYONE to change it.


But I got to admit. I thik it's a horrible system with all those fractions. Decimals are easir to make sense of than: What's bigger? 3/5 or 9/16?

Duuhhhhh.........



I'm stll thinking.
 

KillaCam

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Call_Me_Daddy said:
The reason its still around is because its always been around. It's just easier to keep it than to ask EVERYONE to change it.


But I got to admit. I thik it's a horrible system with all those fractions. Decimals are easir to make sense of than: What's bigger? 3/5 or 9/16?

Duuhhhhh.........



I'm stll thinking.
3/5 ;)

It just depends what you've grown up with. The systems each person has grown up with have become second nature, it's difficult to curb habits that are built into your brains hardware.
 

TheMainMan

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The term for the system used in the USA is the 'US customary units' based on the old English Imperial System.

The International System incorporates the metric amongst other things.

We have it f*** up in the UK, as we use both.
 
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