Gone Metric
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I gained a bit more exposure to the Metric System this summer by reading articles about the Tour de France. Of course, being a French race, the stage distances are measured in kilometers (although American publications usually convert the distances to miles), and foreign news articles frequently report average speeds in kph rather than the more familiar mph.
Today I have decided to take a plunge and increase my familiarity with the meter; I reprogrammed my bicycle computer to display metric units: km for distance and kph for speed. An incidental advantage of this switch is that an arduous pace of 22 mph is now a sleek pace of 35 kph. The speed is the same, but 35 kph sounds way cooler than 22 mph. And my work commute of 8.25 miles expanded to 13.3 km with no additional pedaling effort required.
source: http://justenoughcraig.blogspot.com/2008/08/gone-metric.html
Comments
USA
I have been lecturing basic sciences in African universities, in time when the countries of Africa have been changing their fps system to SI system. Very interesting and challenging period! It took some years to accomplish the change.
Surprisingly, the change was more visible and easier done in business (packaging, volumes, balances) and streets (kilometer posts, speed signs, change to a right hand drive) than in a university laboratory. Why did they succeed in relatively smooth way? You may say that if "there is will, there is a way". Although, it is true, the countries were less developed and the changes had not met big resistance. At that time there was no book for students on experimental science, where all quantities were to be measured and the answers expressed in SI units. By the same token there was no "conversion", so hampering introduction of SI in USA. The problem shifted to mathematical manipulation of "power of ten notation", SI prefixes, inter-conversion within the metric system, accuracy, precision and the uncertainties of measurement or calculated quantities.
This prompted me to write the book on experimental science: "SI Units, Conversion and Measurement Skills". You may learn about the 2009 edition of the book visiting my website: http://www.wacek.co.za.
If you wish to read two articles relating changing Fahrenheit to Celsius(1) or vice versa (2), and I think, interesting agorithms, you may find them at www.buzzle.com; search, author: Wacek Kijewski. I would be happy to receive your comments.
USA metrication
I have been lecturing basic sciences in African universities, in time when the countries of Africa have been changing their fps system to SI system. Very interesting and challenging period! It took some years to accomplish the change.
Surprisingly, the change was more visible and easier done in business (packaging, volumes balances) and streets (kilometer posts, speed signs, change to a right hand drive) than in a university laboratory. Why did they succeed in relatively smooth way? You may say that if "there is will, there is a way". Although, it is true, the countries were less developed and the changes had not met big resistance. At that time there was no book for students on experimental science, where all quantities were to be measured and the answers expressed in SI units. By the same token there was no "conversion", so hampering introduction of SI in USA. The problem shifted to mathematical manipulation of power of ten notation, SI prefixes, inter-conversion within the metric system, accuracy, precision and the uncertainties of measurement or calculated quantities.
This prompted me to write the book on experimental science: "SI Units, Conversion and Measurement Skills". You may learn about the 2009 edition of the book visiting my website: http://www.wacek.co.za.
If you interested to read two articles on changing the degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius and vice versa, please read my two articles at www.buzzle.com, search author: Wacek Kijewski. Thank you.
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