Assignment 16 - Daniel Brewer - Imperial v. Metric

Imperial vs. Metric

Good Afternoon.  To start, let’s do some quick math in our heads. No paper, no pencils.  What is 1 x 12 x 3 x 146.67 = 5,280 feet.  That’s how many feet are in a mile.  Now, multiply 1 x 1,000 = 1,000.  That’s how many meters are in a kilometer.

In the United States, the commonly used Imperial system and its units of measure dates back to before the Revolutionary War, when it came to America with the colonists from England.  As most of the world has switched to the metric system, the US has not.  This is not a new argument: America continues to use the European Imperial standard, although most of the world started moving to the metric system in the late nineteenth century. But many factors have played a role in slowing the adoption of the metric system in the United States, typically explained as too difficult, or too expensive, or the disdain for learning something new. But according to the Atlantic magazine, much of the opposition from the 1870's onward came from the manufacturers of the Industrial Revolution, where they had based their entire system of machines and tools on the inch. They argued that retooling to a metric standard was simply too expensive and successfully blocked the adoption of the metric system in Congress on a number of occasions in the late 19th and 20th century. The Constitution's Article I, Section 8 that states Congress holds the power "to coin money...and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures."  But in 1821, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams refused to convert to metric.  Later in 1866, President Andrew Johnson signed into law an act of Congress that made it "lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the weights and measures of the metric system in all contracts, dealings or court proceedings." More modern efforts like The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 has essentially been forgotten, as has the Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.  Even 2016 Presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee, pledged to support a conversion to Metric but he withdrew after only 4-1/2 months.  So, we've arrived at a hybrid system. Most rulers show inches along one edge, centimeters along the other. But there are at least three compelling reasons the United States should finally convert, (1) to embrace the globally accepted standard in science and technology, (2) to join the rest of the world in making common measurements, and (3) ease of use mathematically.   

First, an example regarding science and technology: as the world gets smaller, and countries work together using the measurement standard will be important.  Most science based industries have standardized on the metric system.  But take for example, what is commonly referred to as the Mars Rover Metric Mistake: NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because a Lockheed Martin engineering team used English units of measurement while the {NASA's} team used the more conventional metric system for a key spacecraft operation.   Even according to Lockheed Martin, “We were transmitting English units and they were expecting metric units. The normal thing is to use metric and to specify that."  Standardization would eliminate simple mistakes in communicating vital data.

Second, Most of the world has standardized on the Metric system.  Only three countries - Burma, Liberia, and the US - have not adopted the Metric system. So scientists, engineers and regular citizens alike in 203 of the earths 206 countries, over 99% of the Earths population, all have an easier time making simple, common conversions.  “How many tablespoons in a cup” one might ask?  Well, grab that pencil and maybe a calculator.  Driving from Buffalo to Toronto? Be sure you convert to kilometers when you cross into Canada so you don’t get caught speeding.  

Finally, the math is just easier.  Since the whole system is based on 10, forget the calculator, abacus or toes and just convert millimeters to kilometers in your head.  For example, 10 millimeters = 1 centimeter, 100 centimeters = 1 meter, 1000 meters = 1 kilometer. This is similar to the decimal system that we use with normal numbers and therefore it is simpler to learn. 

Is it possible that the metric system will slowly displace English measurements?  Well, probably  not by government fiat, but maybe one inch at a time.  I leave you with this bit of government propaganda: “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.”

Works Cited -
1. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/06/whos-afraid-of-the-metric-system/395057/ 2. http://edition.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric.02/

3. http://articles.latimes.com/1999/oct/01/news/mn-17288

4. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/appendix/appendix-g.html

5. https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pml/wmd/metric/1136a.pdf

See Also:

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-the-metric-system-matters-matt-anticole

http://ed.ted.com/on/M56Nrotq

http://ed.ted.com/on/z8XBeVHz