Metric vs. other measurement systems - chart

[Jon]

I think that the clickbait era may have exacerbated the problem of bizarre units of measurement.

Also, it seems like they're using a giraffe as a measure of volume, when it would've been more appropriate as a measure of height.

[Ronj]

Half as tall, half as wide or half as heavy.

[neilbourjaily]

I find the space between my forefinger and my thumb to be a reliable measurement. No matter how wide or far away, I find the object of measurement to fit exactly.

[Bony]

According to Google there are only 3 countries left in the world that still use the Imperial system for measurement and the US is one of them. Wasn't a measurement conversion error the cause of a shuttle disaster. How about joining the rest of the world you guys if only because it's SO much easier to use.
(Yea ok, we still drive on the left down under, and that's not going to change)

[schuylergrace]

How many warthogs are in a giraffe? I prefer to use smaller units to enhance precision.

[hemmjo]

In regard to (Yea ok, we still drive on the left down under, and that's not going to change), That has to do with the Earths rotation...Right? If one person stands on the North Pole they are spinning in one direction, if at the same time another person stands on the South Pole, they are spinning in the opposite direction!!! Right? Imagine the Earth's axis were an all thread rod that is stationary. Each person holding a nut. As the Earth spins, one nut is getting closer to the Earth, the other nut is getting further away! Right? SO one is turning left the other is turning right. SO it is OK if you people "down there" on the bottom half drive on the left. But those up on the top half that drive on the left, well there is no excuse for that!!!
But it is all good because we are all little "nuts" anyway

Of course if the Earth is flat, then this is all meaningless.


ON a more serious note. I find it interesting that the metric/imperial systems are so often MIXED within the same size designation. Tires (tyres) are the first example that comes to mind. While some tires, here in the US anyway, are in inches 35X12.50R15LT E, others are mixed millimeter and inch, P255/60R17 102V.

Is it like this "down there also"?

For your further enjoyment;

[Ralphxyz]

So it just made a splash?

[mklotz]

So it just made a splash?

Probably a fairly large splash.

Imagine, if you can, a ball of rock 3 meters in diameter hitting the ocean at 19 km/sec (42500 mph) !

[Jon]

Another measurement gem is the story of how A&W restaurants tried to market a 1/3 pound burger (larger than the standard 1/4 pound burger) but it failed. A&W hired a market research firm, who determined that Americans thought it was foolish to pay more for a 1/3 pound burger than a 1/4 pound burger, because 3 is less than 4. It's possible that there may be other reasons that this strategy failed, but this signal suggests that the research firm was probably correct. This has entered restaurant lore with an official entry on the website of A&W Restaurants: https://awrestaurants.com/blog/aw-th...rger-fractions

This is especially ironic because Americans' innumeracy was so great that it overcame their legendary love of both burgers and portion size increases. Note how modern fast food marketing strategy eschews fractions and instead focuses on increasing the number of burger patties, even if they are thinner and weigh less.




I searched on "math is hard meme" for an image to accompany this post, and there are some beauties:

[thevillageinn]

This is also why many times a 50% off sale will be accompanied with the statement: …that’s half!