Meandering through the Measurements..

[Fozzer]

I watched a fascinating science program last, night on BBC 2 Television called "Orbit".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xztbr
It is part of a series of programs describing the wonders of the Planet Earth.
Last night's episode explained the Earth's journey around the Sun, and how the "spin" of the Earth affects the weather around us.
A wonderful, easy to understand, (unusual!) well presented program by two young female enthusiasts, (without a dearth of fancy computer graphics and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing in the background!).
It was a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening program, involving the weather, which as Flight Enthusiasts, (and Motorcyclists!) we are all involved, and interested in!

The never-ending problem for me, as in all such programs, is the fact that all the measurements are given in Metric details, whereas I was brought up in the World of Imperial Measurements.
Distances and temperatures, etc, in Metres, Kilometres, Centigrade, etc, are a foreign language to me as someone who is more familiar with Feet, Inches, Miles, Fahrenheit, etc!
I am constantly trying to convert the quoted measurements from Metric into Imperial, to try and get a grasp on the distances, etc, involved.
...and by the time I have worked it out out on my fingers, they have moved onto something else!... ...!
The speed of the Earth spinning, or travelling, in Kilometres per Hour, means nothing to me, when I want so know the speed in Miles per Hour (which appears on the speedometer on my Motorbike)!
And distances, or height, in Metres or Kilometres, leaves me with a blank expression!
It will always spoil my enjoyment, and understanding of such interesting programs and general information.

To that end, I wonder how many of my elderly Flight Sim Chums are still bound by our familiar Imperial Measurement system, whereas the Metric System appears to us in the form of Egyptian Hieroglyphics!... ...!

Paul....Measuring the Marigolds...(in feet and inches)... ...!

[Hagar]

I watched a fascinating science program last, night on BBC 2 Television called "Orbit".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xztbr
It is part of a series of programs describing the wonders of the Planet Earth.
Last night's episode explained the Earth's journey around the Sun, and how the "spin" of the Earth affects the weather around us.
A wonderful, easy to understand, (unusual!) well presented program by two young female enthusiasts, (without a dearth of fancy computer graphics and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing in the background!).
It was a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening program, involving the weather, which as Flight Enthusiasts, (and Motorcyclists!) we are all involved, and interested in!

Unusually for me I also watched that programme Paul. I thought it was very well done.

The never-ending problem for me, as in all such programs, is the fact that all the measurements are given in Metric details, whereas I was brought up in the World of Imperial Measurements.
Distances and temperatures, etc, in Metres, Kilometres, Centigrade, etc, are a foreign language to me as someone who is more familiar with Feet, Inches, Miles, Fahrenheit, etc!
I am constantly trying to convert the quoted measurements from Metric into Imperial, to try and get a grasp on the distances, etc, involved.
...and by the time I have worked it out out on my fingers, they have moved onto something else!... ...!
The speed of the Earth spinning, or travelling, in Kilometres per Hour, means nothing to me, when I want so know the speed in Miles per Hour (which appears on the speedometer on my Motorbike)!
And distances, or height, in Metres or Kilometres, leaves me with a blank expression!
It will always spoil my enjoyment, and understanding of such interesting programs and general information.

To that end, I wonder how many of my elderly Flight Sim Chums are still bound by our familiar Imperial Measurement system, whereas the Metric System appears to us in the form of Egyptian Hieroglyphics!... ...!

Paul....Measuring the Marigolds...(in feet and inches)... ...!

Having been taught the Imperial System at school I have the same problems as you with visualising metric measurements. A rough guide that I use is that 1 metre = 1 yard (give or take a couple of inches). The balloon experiment reached 20,000 metres which is very roughly 60,000 feet. (Actually 65,000.) http://www.simetric.co.uk/metres_to_feet.php

I noticed that one of the presenters slipped up at the end by giving the depth of water as 30 feet.

[G.K.]

I'm *% yrs old born in 19$* so my fomative years were imperial. Background in engineering and Art Metal Work forced me to adopt metric.....what a blessing, so much easier. Glad I am fluent with both though.

I once had to teach a dyslexic Turkish Gentleman (language issues) how to add/subtract/multiply imperial fractions, covering vulgar fractions and the need to reduce to the lowest common denominator......a nightmare but we fortunately remained friends. He was right though "you English are bloody mad"

[Hagar]

I'm *% yrs old born in 19$* so my fomative years were imperial. Background in engineering and Art Metal Work forced me to adopt metric.....what a blessing, so much easier. Glad I am fluent with both though.

I don't find the Metric system any easier. I was taught the Imperial system but my job involved working in vulgar & decimal fractions of inches, & also the Metric system. I'm fully conversant with both systems but still think in Imperial. For example: I know exactly what a kilometre is but cannot visualise it. Same with a kilogram.

He was right though "you English are bloody mad"

That would have to include our American cousins. I can't see them changing in a hurry.

[Fozzer]

He was right though "you English are bloody mad" ;D

That would have to include our American cousins. I can't see them changing in a hurry. ;)

Now browsing through this made me feel very much; "at home"...>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... mary_units

Paul...with a

[Steve M]

With some of our blueprints here using metric and some using imperial I've learned to switch back and forth. It's been at least 30 years since .Ca went metric and confusion still happens. You can have half of a crew that doesn't know what an inch is and the other half still doesn't know what a centimeter is. My tape measures I buy always have both printed on them side by side. Kph vs mph? Doesn't seem to matter, no one reads speed limit signs anyway!

[ozzy72]

I'm blessed in that after nearly a decade in Eastern Europe I trip backwards and forwards without trouble.
My wife does sometimes get confused by me referring to measurements in "Church of England"

[machineman9]

I'm used to using SI units, which are taken from metric. I had no problem understanding just how giant and massive everything is. It's a great system... The metre, centigrade, kilogram and litre are all related to the same thing - Water. They practically all define one another.

I saw the programme last night on iPlayer, and the Coriolis effect made much more sense afterwards. I'd like to see some more about the stars and gravitation though. We shall see what happens next week.

[Fozzer]

In my Design Draughtsman days, anyone who used the measurement "Centimetre" would immediately get thrown out of the premises.
Only 2 measurements are allowed in design circles (or anything else!); Millimetres and Metres...NEVER Centimetres!

Paul....Electrical/Electronic Design Draughtsman, Retired... ...!

Interesting note: The holes in the walls for doors and windows, etc, in old buildings are in Imperial Inches, but modern doors and window frames to fit them are manufactured in Metric Millimetres...so there's always a bit of a problem!.. ...!

[machineman9]

In my Design Draughtsman days, anyone who used the measurement "Centimetre" would immediately get thrown out of the premises.
Only 2 measurements are allowed in design circles (or anything else!); Millimetres and Metres...NEVER Centimetres!

Paul....Electrical/Electronic Design Draughtsman, Retired... ...!

You've never worked as a builder then? They operate in degrees of botchwork. 

[Fozzer]

In my Design Draughtsman days, anyone who used the measurement "Centimetre" would immediately get thrown out of the premises.
Only 2 measurements are allowed in design circles (or anything else!); Millimetres and Metres...NEVER Centimetres!

Paul....Electrical/Electronic Design Draughtsman, Retired... ...!

You've never worked as a builder then? They operate in degrees of botchwork.

[Steve M]

Millimetres or metres, a pencil mark on a concrete floor is about two millimeters thick, (16001 millimeters ten times over) , always ends up a quarter inch off from the CAD on a laptop. 'Centimetre' was in comparison to an inch, and won't be found on a blueprint normally. I notice what we call a 2 by 4 wood stud is called a 4 by 2 in some parts. Actually 1.5" by 3.5". But I ramble on so much.          

[DaveSims]

I remember in grade school, they were really pushing metric conversion as the new way to go over here in America, really trying to get us used to it.  Now 20 years later, you can see how well that worked for them...

(still driving 70 MPH)

[Fozzer]

[quote] Millimetres or metres, a pencil mark on a concrete floor is about two millimeters thick, (16001 millimeters ten times over) , always ends up a quarter inch off from the CAD on a laptop. 'Centimetre' was in comparison to an inch, and won't be found on a blueprint normally. I notice what we call a 2 by 4 wood stud is called a 4 by 2 in some parts. Actually 1.5" by 3.5". But I ramble on so much.

[Steve M]

[quote][quote] Millimetres or metres, a pencil mark on a concrete floor is about two millimeters thick, (16001 millimeters ten times over) , always ends up a quarter inch off from the CAD on a laptop. 'Centimetre' was in comparison to an inch, and won't be found on a blueprint normally. I notice what we call a 2 by 4 wood stud is called a 4 by 2 in some parts. Actually 1.5" by 3.5". But I ramble on so much.