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Great Western Coffee Shop > Sideshoots - associated subjects > The Lighter Side > Imperial and/or metric units. Discussion on the use and teaching of
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Author Topic: Imperial and/or metric units. Discussion on the use and teaching of  (Read 21932 times)
TonyK
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« Reply #45 on: August 03, 2014, 10:05:45 »
Quote from: Chris from Nailsea on August 02, 2014, 17:33:09
All of my domestic DIY construction and repair activity is calculated in feet and inches - that drives my teenage son mad, as he doesn't understand a word of it.

Chris, age 55, 6 ft, 34 in waist (on a good day).  Wink Cheesy Grin

Whereas all mine are done to metric units, because there's more of them, and they follow a logical sequence. This infuriates my wife, who thinks it far more rational to base the size the piece of wood she wants on the distance between nose and arrow for a randomly selected mediaeval longbowman, divided by three, then by twelve, then by up to 64.

Quote from: grahame on August 02, 2014, 17:54:19

Congratulations on your recent 200th Centaday!

Edit to correct units

I am soon to enter the world of Superkilodayuation.

FT,N! (1.88m, 85Kg and rising).
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #46 on: August 03, 2014, 19:50:09 »
Quote from: Four Track, Now! on August 03, 2014, 10:05:45
... my wife, who thinks it far more rational to base the size the piece of wood she wants on the distance between nose and arrow for a randomly selected mediaeval longbowman, divided by three, then by twelve, then by up to 64.

I sense a kindred spirit there.  Wink Cheesy Grin
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
chrisr_75
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« Reply #47 on: August 04, 2014, 12:22:33 »
During my trip along the m4 this morning I noticed another anomaly - while on the direction signs we have distances in miles, the distance markers at the side of the carriageway appear to be in kilometres at 500m spacing...
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ellendune
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« Reply #48 on: August 04, 2014, 19:31:44 »
Quote from: chrisr_75 on August 04, 2014, 12:22:33
During my trip along the m4 this morning I noticed another anomaly - while on the direction signs we have distances in miles, the distance markers at the side of the carriageway appear to be in kilometres at 500m spacing...

Yes because the distance markers are for the maintenance crews (who work in metric) not the public. 
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chrisr_75
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« Reply #49 on: August 05, 2014, 08:40:17 »
Quote from: ellendune on August 04, 2014, 19:31:44
Quote from: chrisr_75 on August 04, 2014, 12:22:33
During my trip along the m4 this morning I noticed another anomaly - while on the direction signs we have distances in miles, the distance markers at the side of the carriageway appear to be in kilometres at 500m spacing...

Yes because the distance markers are for the maintenance crews (who work in metric) not the public. 

The signs I was referring to are the more obvious blue signs which actually called 'driver location markers' and are intended to accurately locate anyone stranded on the hard shoulder

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_location_sign

The small white, blue and red posts also display kilometres but are intended for other purposes, although I don't recall seeing any recently. Either way, it is a curious mix of units!
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TonyK
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« Reply #50 on: August 08, 2014, 16:01:25 »
Quote from: Chris from Nailsea on August 03, 2014, 19:50:09
I sense a kindred spirit there.  Wink Cheesy Grin

Yes, marriage is a compromise. Give them 2.54cm, and they'll take 1.6Km.  Grin

Time for a dram...
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mfpa
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« Reply #51 on: August 21, 2014, 01:31:40 »
As a kid, I was always amused by the Weetabix boxes stating the nutritional information in milligrammes per ounce.
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