Subject: Use of non-metric values (miles, feet)
Posted by: Krzysztof
Date: Mar 07 10
I know this site consists mostly of US players or players from other countries that emerged from the British Empire, where the unit measures like inch, foot, mile, pound etc. have survived quite a long time.
Unfortunatelly, for us who have never been part of the British Empire world, those units have been obsolete for about one hundred years.
So it would be really nice to include the metric values as well, especially in questions where they are officially expressed in the metric values (for exemple track and field records).
I don't mind yards as the only unit of measure in the American football questions, but in the case of international sports (or highest mountains, distances between cities, speeds and many others) answering sometimes even a simple question (to which we know the answer perfectly) can suddenly become a chellange, because the question's author forgot about the rest of the world and the quiz editor was short-sighted as well.
Posted by: Krzysztof
Date: Mar 07 10
I know this site consists mostly of US players or players from other countries that emerged from the British Empire, where the unit measures like inch, foot, mile, pound etc. have survived quite a long time.
Unfortunatelly, for us who have never been part of the British Empire world, those units have been obsolete for about one hundred years.
So it would be really nice to include the metric values as well, especially in questions where they are officially expressed in the metric values (for exemple track and field records).
I don't mind yards as the only unit of measure in the American football questions, but in the case of international sports (or highest mountains, distances between cities, speeds and many others) answering sometimes even a simple question (to which we know the answer perfectly) can suddenly become a chellange, because the question's author forgot about the rest of the world and the quiz editor was short-sighted as well.
37 replies. On page 2 of 2 pages. 1 2
looney_tunes 
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Growing up in the US, I never encountered metric measurements until my high school Physics course, at which time I became an instant convert - such elegant simplicity! Then I moved to Australia during the throes of metric conversion, and the problems of driving a car with a speedometer calibrated Imperial, checking speeds against metric road signs. Both systems are comfortable, and I always try to include equivalents in any question I write, as I am very aware of the issue. It remains true, as pointed out earlier, that any question that requires you to know conversions to get the right answer probably isn't a good one - either selecting options so that only one is even close, or asking the question in a slightly different fashion can usually avoid the problem. Reply #21. Mar 08 10, 12:11 AM |
tezza1551
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The thing that really interests me is that the USA has had decimal currency since heaven knows when, but still use non metric for everything else. Is it Imperial that is used in USA ? Is there a reason ? I'm curious, not critising ! Reply #22. Mar 08 10, 12:17 AM |
romeomikegolf
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The USA doesn't use Imperial as such, the liquid measures are slightly different for example but most are interchangable with standard Imperial units. Reply #23. Mar 08 10, 2:09 AM |
| tezza1551
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Thanks RMG.. you may have just explained why I frequently have cooking failures with recipes from the USA ! Reply #24. Mar 08 10, 2:40 AM |
flopsymopsy
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It's worth finding a converter, Tezza - there are several online. I used to stay in the US with a Cordon Bleu chef, come home, try one of her recipes and it would be a disaster. Took me ages to realise that a US gallon/pint is smaller than Imperial measure, so I'd been putting in far too much liquid. I have some large measuring spoons now that have US measures but I still struggle with many things. One of my team mates, baban, created a quiz on the measures only recently and I still got some wrong! Reply #25. Mar 08 10, 7:17 AM |
| BxBarracuda
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There you have it, why the people in the U.S. might be as set against switching to metric as they are. The word "Imperial" is attached, even in our science fiction movies it refers to the bad guys lol. Reply #26. Mar 08 10, 7:41 AM |
Krzysztof
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The word "Imperial" is attached to the pounds, feet, miles etc. not to the metric system :) Reply #27. Mar 08 10, 7:53 AM |
| BxBarracuda
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If anything needs a modern name change then it's measures. Reply #28. Mar 08 10, 9:07 AM |
JanIQ
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I try and include both measurements in the interesting info. But I'm baffled to see there are at least three complete sets (metric, Imperial and American). If I were to include all, my interesting info would grow and ggrrooww and ggggggrrrrroooooowwwwwwwwwww ........ Reply #29. Mar 09 10, 1:39 PM |
spidersghost43
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A quiz writer should write in the form he is familiar with. If you want metric then write in metric. Reply #30. Mar 09 10, 2:33 PM |
| spidersghost43
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Also if you are waiting for The US to change you will be waitng a long time. They told we would be going metric when I was a schoolboy and I am pushing fifty. Reply #31. Mar 09 10, 2:35 PM |
| reeshy
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I think as a courtesy to people who may use a different system it isn't that difficult to quote km and miles for distances, for example, or m and ft for mountain heights. Especially in interesting info, it's quick and easy to do; I tend to put both in my quizzes. It's certainly not as simple as learn the other system! :) Reply #32. Apr 12 10, 6:13 PM |
Ezmar
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I realize that I'm biased slightly, but I think that the U.S system works better for human measurement. Inches and feet are more suitable for calculating height, I think. I can't imagine that Dekameters are widely used, and Meters seem to large. Everything else, though, could be metric. Reply #33. Apr 22 10, 5:46 PM |
| reeshy
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I agree that feet and inches are better for human measurement, but meters also work just fine for that :) Reply #34. Apr 23 10, 10:55 AM |
| Krzysztof
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Ezmar, yes, you are biased :) It's all about references. In the case of human height the main reference is simply your own height and for people who never used feet and inches, 6'1" is just an empty string of signs (numbers), while 1.84 m or 184 cm says a lot. And we use centimeters in everyday life (for measurements where meters are impractical, because they're too big) and kilometers (where meters are too small). It's really about in what system you were brought up, because this creates the references for any measures you may encounter in the future. Reply #35. Apr 23 10, 11:42 AM |
| aya3098
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I'm like Jan... I usually try to include metric and imperial units on my questions, where possible, that is. Reply #36. Apr 28 10, 6:23 PM |
george48
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Don't American food manufacturers have to label products in metric measurements exported to countries that have the metric system? I work in the meat industry and any meat that we receive from the states is labeled with both measurements. So,as much as America might think that they are the vanguards of the imperial system, even they have to make concessions! Reply #37. Apr 28 10, 6:52 PM |
37 replies. On page 2 of 2 pages. 1 2
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