Metric_vs._Imperial_System

Quickly, how many pounds are there in 100 ounces' How many feet are there in a mile' Which is greater: 5.5 pints, 94 fluid ounces, or 3 quarts' How many square yards are there in an acre' If you’re like most Americans you stumbled over a few of those answers, if you could answer them at all without looking up conversions. If we were referring to measurements based on the metric system these questions would not be so difficult. So why then do we as Americans still use the imperial system of measurement' The United States is one of the few countries that does not use the metric system. Other countries have managed the switch over to that system. Why, you might ask. It is because the metric system is superior to the imperial system we are using now. The metric system was designed by scientists and is therefore a more exact and logical means of measurement. It is based on units of ten which makes calculations easier and faster. Most researchers, doctors, and scientists even in the United States use this system for this reason. The metric system was designed to be simple. There are only 7 base units of measurement. When you compare that to the twenty base units found in our current system of measurement you’ll find that metric is far easier to remember. Because most of the world uses the metric system the United States are out of sync with the rest of the world when it comes to manufacturing. This causes extra work to make the conversions on any imports or exports which costs us money. One could argue that it doesn’t matter if there is an international standard of measurement, but consistent standards are sought by many and ignored by Americans in this one area. In early America we started putting up railroads throughout the country. Each railroad had a different width and made the transporting of people and goods difficult because not all trains could commute on all tracks. Though it cost money to implement it and make the change Americans created a standard so railway travel could be more effective. This standard changed our railway system for the better. Adopting the metric system here in the United States would have much the same effect. Though it may take some effort at first in the long run it would improve the lives of many in the US. So with some understanding of why the metric system is superior to our standard units you may be wondering why we are avoiding the conversion. It is not because we are afraid of using the metric system, it is because we are afraid of the whole conversion process. In other words, we are afraid of a lot of math that is a part of the conversion. People are not going to convert recipes to metric measures. Land division has been done in acres and square miles for centuries now, and because all of the property is divided this way it can not all be changed in a short time. Traditional measures will be with us for a while in some form or another, which means converting back and forth will be with us for a while. This makes many people not want to bother with the conversion. Converting to the metric system can happen a little at a time, and one step at a time. We could start by dropping miles for kilometers on all US highways. Let's use that KM/H dial on our cars. If kilometers catch on, meters instead of yards, and then centimeters instead of inches will follow. Once distances are metric, we can start working on liquid measures. We already buy 2 liter bottles of soda, everything else is easy. Weight and temperature are two units of measurement we could easily convert to. In the long term, I believe the benefits and cost savings to convert to the metric system would greatly offset the short term inconveniences. The United States of America should finally stop using the imperial system of measurement for the metric system hat has been proven to be simpler to understand, easier to calculate, and the international standard. It will help reduce redundancies, errors, and costs.