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Tag Archives: decimal
Acres made easy
We look ahead to the 400th anniversary of an innovation that simplified the measurement of land area, initially in England and later in the UK, by introducing decimals. Likes(46)Dislikes(44)
Posted in General, History, Technical
Tagged acre, decimal, Gunter's chain, imperial measures, metric
11 Comments
A Dickensian surprise
Charles Dickens is enduringly popular for his memorable characters and his portrayal of the social evils of Victorian England. One of our regular readers, Martin Vlietstra, draws attention to an unexpected contribution he made to Britain’s long-running metrication debate. Likes(30)Dislikes(3)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History
Tagged All the Year Round, Charles Dickens, decimal, Education, metrication, numeracy
2 Comments
Why ten and not twelve?
This is a question that often arises during discussions on the merits of the metric system. Martin Vlietstra, one of our regular readers, provides some thoughts on the matter, coincidentally on 10 October. Likes(14)Dislikes(13)
Posted in General, History, Science
Tagged decimal, duodecimal, measurement units, metric
7 Comments
Whitworth’s forgotten legacy
Whitworth is famous for the eponymous screw thread, and for his promotion of standard measures and interchangeability that brought about an engineering revolution. Less well known are his enthusiasm for decimal measurement and his opposition to the introduction of the … Continue reading
Posted in Education, General, History, Science, Technical
Tagged decimal, fractions, interchangeability, metric system, Metrication Programme, metrology, Sir Joseph Whitworth, Whitworth
2 Comments
Launch of the decimal euro
Fifteen years ago, on 1 January 1999, the euro was introduced as an accounting currency. Notes and coins were introduced three years later. Whilst there are arguments for and against the euro, and UKMA takes no position on this issue, no one … Continue reading
10-10-10. A reason for celebration
For many in Britain, the metric system and decimal measures are the same. Sunday’s once-in-a-century date provides an opportunity to consider the link between the two. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Education, General, History, Technical, Views from abroad
Tagged decimal, mesures-usuelles, metric, rational-system, USA
24 Comments