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Tag Archives: metric
Understanding body weight and height in metric units
It was inevitable that the selection of London to host the Olympic Games would bring into focus some of the consequences of the UK’s measurement muddle. Metric Views looks at one aspect, the measurement of body height and weight, measured … Continue reading
US customary measures: friend or foe of British traditionalists?
In the early years of the twentieth century, both US customary (USC) and metric measures were seen by some in Britain as threats to the survival of the Imperial system. The end of Empire saw metric supplant Imperial, while USC … Continue reading
Posted in General, History, Technical
Tagged customary, imperial, measure, measurement, metric, traditional, US, volume
9 Comments
Marathon myth
With the London Marathon being run today, it is timely to remember the metric origins of the marathon, and to puncture the myth that it is a race measured in imperial units.
Posted in General, History, Myths, Sport
Tagged imperial measures, measurement units, metric
11 Comments
The link between measurement skills and numeracy
Poor numeracy is blighting Britain’s economic performance and ruining lives, says a new charity launched to champion better maths skills.
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Media
Tagged adults, BBC, children, imperial, maths, measurement, metric, metrication, numeracy, questions, reports, sample, school, skills, test
15 Comments
Goodbye Imperial. Hello British weights and measures
We, the public, are encouraged by some politicians, by the DfT and by elements of the media to pick and mix our measurement units – to use both imperial and metric. So why has imperial as a system fallen from … Continue reading
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History
Tagged British weights and measures, imperial measures, metric
22 Comments
Mesures usuelles. An anniversary remembered
The comment by Han Maenen on the previous article reminds us that this is the 200th anniversary of a decree which ended temporarily the use of the metric system for everyday purposes in France and elsewhere.
Posted in General, History, Technical, Views from abroad
Tagged customary, mesures-usuelles, metric, Napoleon, traditional
5 Comments
Speed, momentum and resistance
Which is preferable: a swift metric transition or a leisurely one? UKMA would have preferred the former. Successive UK governments have opted for the latter, believing that it carries less risk to their popularity. Ronnie Cohen assesses progress.
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Media, Road signs
Tagged advance, metric, metrication, opposition, resistance
9 Comments
The generation gap
In his recent article “Why I …”, Ronnie Cohen looked at the present to explain why he believes the UK should complete the transition to metric units. However, some of those who commented on his article also looked back. In … Continue reading
Posted in Education, General, History, Science, Technical
Tagged construction industry, Education, metric, metrication
3 Comments
Christmas approaches so reach for a mail order catalogue
One of our regular contributors has submitted a comment about mail order catalogues, even though he admits there is no Metric Views article to which it relates. We are happy to respond by reproducing part of one of several articles … Continue reading
Posted in Consumer affairs, General
Tagged imperial scales, mail-order-catalogues, metric
10 Comments
Pound-inch units finally give way to metric in space
It looks as if astronauts, cosmonauts, or yuhangyuan as we will soon learn to call them, will before long have to cope with only one measurement system in space as the US winds down its programme and China takes its … Continue reading