Metrication Canada; How is it working?

[Bryan]

No doubt, fahrenheit is a dumb system, switching to celsius was really easy. Temps in F don't even mean anything to me anymore. Someone could tell me 50-80-100, I'll have no idea what that even means.

Height and weight holdovers are weird. They are specifically limited to people. I can tell how tall I am in feet and inches, but if you tell me something is 300ft long, I really have no idea what that means.

Yet y'all still like to order a pint at the pub ....

A pint is just the name of the "big glass" to us. If you asked a Canadian how much it holds, they would start trying to estimate in ml.

think people still think in gallons too, though - as in 'gas is such and such per gallon.' Again, I believe they do in Britain, too.

I don't know anyone who thinks of gas prices in gallons. They are universally posted in litres. Litres /100 km does mess some people up, but that's because they not only changed two units of measure, they reversed the relationship.

Actually, as far as I've seen, ALL liquid measures in Canada are litres and ml, there has not been any holdover that I know of. I buy a 750ml bottle of rum, not a 24oz, for instance. There's no oz on any bottle of anything in my fridge or my liquor cabinet.

Didnt mean to say no kgs are shown, they are on the meat aisle (non-deli) but the dominant will be the price per lbs

???I've never seen ANY meat sold in lbs.??? Grams and kgs is universal, and it's so much easier to estimate!

[Evening Star]

Yeah, my experience is very similar to Bryan's.

[Guest Manny]

How so? Using smaller units doesn't make a system more accurate.

It's more precise, when you have a digital controller that only displays integer units.

[Jack Weber]

How so? Using smaller units doesn't make a system more accurate.

Oh I beg to differ...

When I measure something millimetres,I can be far more accurate than a standard measuring tape that's based on 1/8th's of inches...

[bush_cheney2004]

No doubt, fahrenheit is a dumb system, switching to celsius was really easy. Temps in F don't even mean anything to me anymore. Someone could tell me 50-80-100, I'll have no idea what that even means.

Oh really? I'll bet you readily know the flashpoint of paper in Fahrenheit, not Celsius.

[Evening Star]

It's more precise, when you have a digital controller that only displays integer units.

Oh I beg to differ...

When I measure something millimetres,I can be far more accurate than a standard measuring tape that's based on 1/8th's of inches...

To be boringly anal, in both of these cases, it's the measuring tool that is more or less accurate, not the system itself, since any unit can be subdivided, right?

[WWWTT]

Everything is based on the number 10 and the movement of a decimal point.

This is misleading.

It would be more accurate to say that the metric system is based upon our numerical system(which incorporates the use and value of the numeral zero and the decimal system),the distance from the Earths equator to the North pole and the weight of water.

WWWTT

[Guest Manny]

To be boringly anal, in both of these cases, it's the measuring tool that is more or less accurate, not the system itself, since any unit can be subdivided, right?

That's true, but since we are talking about scales, any temperature scale can describe a temperature. But there are different kinds of scales, ie. kelvin, celsius, fahrenheit but their actual usefulness in describing the temperature is different in certain circumstances. The point I was making is that the fahrenheit scale has a finer resolution. When we talk about the temperature in fahrenheit, we can say 71, 72, 73 degrees. Those are finer more subtle changes than if we say just "20, 21".

[Jack Weber]

To be boringly anal, in both of these cases, it's the measuring tool that is more or less accurate, not the system itself, since any unit can be subdivided, right?

Yeah....I can use micrometer's that measure in 10,000ths of inches...Very precise...

But when I'm working with a measuring tape in either system,metric is far more precise to the naked eye.

[WWWTT]

Construction measurements are still in feet and inches, although distance between cities and speed limits are almost always referred to in metric.

This aswell is misleading.

Many tradesman still use the imperial system of feet and inches.

But any signifigant projects are designed with metric and all the prints/shop drawings are in metric.In Ontario the building code requires that all engineerd drawings be in metric.

Any metric tape out there has both metric and Imperial which can be a little troublesome when trying to use your tape exclusively in either format but convenient for converting.(you can get tapes imperial only and imperial/metric,but I can't find a tape measure metric only)

WWWTT

[WWWTT]

Feet and Pounds.. I've never heard any Canadian say they are 220 CM or measure their weight by KG

it just doesn't happen

Thats because there is no Canadian that is 220cm tall!

If there was a person that tall they are very far and few inbetween.

220cm=86-87inches or 7'2"

WWWTT

[Bryan]

Oh really? I'll bet you readily know the flashpoint of paper in Fahrenheit, not Celsius.

I have no idea. The only Flashpoint I'm familiar with is the TV show.

[bush_cheney2004]

I have no idea. The only Flashpoint I'm familiar with is the TV show.

OK...perhaps the old timers better understood my meaning.

[TheNewTeddy]

The metric system works fine, it's only the old fogies who refuse to switch over that cause any sort of problem.

[bush_cheney2004]

Thats because there is no Canadian that is 220cm tall!

Tallest Canadian on record was 2.51 meters tall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_people

[bush_cheney2004]

The metric system works fine, it's only the old fogies who refuse to switch over that cause any sort of problem.

The "old fogies" invented the International System of Units (SI), not young pups of today.

[Guest American Woman]

American Woman, on 25 February 2012 - 02:59 PM, said: I'm curious. What does the U.S.'s system of measurement have to do with Canada? In other words, how do you think what we do would have an effect on what happens in Canada?

A lot - as two major trading partners it causes difficulties if the systems of measurement aren't compatible.

In looking into this, it does create some problems - but for the U.S., not Canada.

Congress, recognizing the necessity of the United

States’ conformance with international standards for

trade, included new encouragement for U.S.

industrial metrication in the Omnibus Trade and

Competitiveness Act of 1988. This legislation

amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and

designates the metric system as the Apreferred

system of weights and measures for United States

trade and commerce.” The legislation states that the

Federal Government has a responsibility to assist

industry, especially small business, as it voluntarily

converts to the metric system of measurement.

Federal agencies were required by this legislation,

with certain exceptions, to use the metric system in

their procurement, grants and other business-related

activities by the end of 1992. While not mandating

metric use in the private sector, the Federal

Government has sought to serve as a catalyst in the

metric conversion of the country’s trade, industry,

and commerce.

The current effort toward national metrication is

based on the conclusion that industrial and

commercial productivity, mathematics and science

education, and the competitiveness of American

products and services in world markets, will be

enhanced by completing the change to the metric

system of units. Failure to complete the change

will increasingly handicap the Nation’s industry

and economy.

link

[Jack Weber]

The metric system works fine, it's only the old fogies who refuse to switch over that cause any sort of problem.

I've seen that with my own two eyes...

I've worked in places where we got drawings and blueprints in metric and some peoples brains just turn to mush...They get handed a metric tape measure and you would think they were asked to decipher ancient Sanskrit...

[Bryan]

OK...perhaps the old timers better understood my meaning.

What's the line that makes one an old-timer? I'm 44. The flash-point of paper is not something I ever remember learning for any reason. Why would old people know this?

[bush_cheney2004]

Metric...eh?

OFFICIAL NHL RULES:

1.1 Rink - National Hockey League games shall be played on an ice surface known as the “Rink” and must adhere to the dimensions and specifications prescribed by the League and these rules......

1.2 Dimensions - The official size of the rink shall be two hundred feet (200') long and eighty-five feet (85') wide. The corners shall be rounded in the arc of a circle with a radius of twenty-eight feet (28').

1.3 Boards and Glass - The rink shall be surrounded by a wall known as the “boards” which shall extend not less than forty inches (40'') and not more than forty-eight inches (48'') above the level of the ice surface. The ideal height of the boards above the ice surface shall be forty-two inches (42'').

Affixed to the boards and extending vertically shall be approved safety glass extending eight feet (8’) above the boards at each end of the rink and not less than five feet (5’) along both sides of the rink.

1.5 Lines - Eleven feet (11') from each end of the rink and in the center of a red line two inches (2") wide drawn completely across the width of the ice and continued vertically up the side of the boards

1.7 Goal Crease / Referee Crease - The goal crease shall be laid out as follows: One foot (1') outside of each goal post a two-inch (2'') line shall be painted extending four feet, six inches (4'6") in length. These lines shall be at right angles to the goal line. A semi-circle line six feet (6') in radius and two inches (2") in width shall be drawn using the center of the goal line as the center point and connecting both ends of the side of the crease. On the side of the crease lines, four feet (4') from the goal line, extend a five-inch (5") line into the crease.

[Bryan]

The NHL head office is in New York. Most of the teams are too.

Hockey Canada measurements are in metric. Some rule books do include the other measures in parentheses.

[Bryan]

The "old fogies" invented the International System of Units (SI), not young pups of today.

SI is not the system that we use. They have several units in common, but also several differences.

[bush_cheney2004]

The NHL head office is in New York. Most of the teams are too.

Most of the teams are in New York?

Hockey Canada measurements are in metric. Some rule books do include the other measures in parentheses.

Hockey Canada rule book rink dimensions are obviously converted from previous imperial units....to 2 decimal places. Not very accurate!

Edited February 26, 2012 by bush_cheney2004

[bush_cheney2004]

Official Curling Rules of Play - Canada still list dimensions in feet and inches with metric equivalent in parentheses.

http://media.curling.ca/contentImages/File/2007-2008%20General%20Rules%20of%20Play.pdf

[Sa'adoni]

As I understand Canada has gone metric some time ago in its system of weights and measurements. I wonder how the changeover has been carried out as one of Canada's neighbours is not really keen on the metric system at all.

smart americans use metric, it is the scientific standard.

Only the US, Burma and Iran use the imperial system. Or something like that I know Myamar and the US are two of the only using imperial.

It really doesn't matter. It is just a scale. Metric is easier to use than Imperial. It is based on the decimal system. The US system is based on their body parts.

I understand that Quebec has always been metric,

Nope. The french actually used the Imperial system before the americans...

" finding difficulties in liaising with German scientists, the British inventor James Watt, in 1783, called for the creation of a global decimal measurement system. A letter of invitation in 1790 from the French National Assembly to the British Parliament to help create such a system using the length of a pendulum (as proposed by Wilkins) as the base unit of length received the support of the British Parliament, championed by John Riggs Miller, but when the French overthrew their monarchy and decided to use the meridional definition of the metre as their base unit, Britain withdrew support. The French continued alone and created the foundations of what is now called Système International d'Unités and is the sole measurement system for most of the world."

The French and Indian war was before the US declaration of independence - it is actually what caused the colonies to be able to asssert independence in part. The British didn't start the metric shift at law until the 1960's according to online sources... And Quebec has been a British Province since the French and Indian War ended.

Canada turned to the metric system (with more success than Britain after the 60's. So laws from this period which have not been ammended are still in MPH and other imperial measurements where there are references.

obvious reasons really, but how has the rest of Canada coped? Surely, if someone asks you how tall you are you don't say 180 cms or so but feet and inches. Surely, if someone asks how much you weigh, you don't think in kg's, or do you, but in pounds.

There is still MPH in some traffic laws.

What about temperatures? Canada of all countries is a perfect example how the fahrenheit-degree is just rubbish. For the very practical reasons when it is cold it is cleverer to say the temperature is minus something than some 10-15 degrees according to the F-scale.

It doesn't make much of a difference but it is novel to have the freezing point and the boiling point of water at "normal numbers" 0 for freezing and 100 for boiling. the scale goes down to about -256 or something .. but the f scale is "more exact as decimals are almost never used with c degrees. so we don't often see 28.4 except for science we would just see 28.

Americans are just use to their ways, it would make it easier on them, but its way to late in the game to be changing anything for them.

Edited February 26, 2012 by Sa'adoni