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#1 2007-12-12 22:18:56

MathsIsFun
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Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

I worked with a lady called Christi Godard to make a fun intro to measurement. The results are:

Introduction to US Standard Units

Measuring Metrically with Maggie

Have a read, let me know any mistakes, or ideas for improvement.

I am also a little worried they are both too long ... do you think so?


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#2 2007-12-13 17:39:46

Jai Ganesh
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Posts: 45,956

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Both the pages are beautiful! The narration is interesting too! I think the conversions in table form should also be given, although that would make the pages more academic, nevertheless, not any less attractive. Similarly,  at the end examples may be provided to explain. For temperatures, Kelvin may also be given, and the conversion formulas may also be added.
Since the pages have come out well, more pages for all the SI units and derived units in SI alongwith FPS systems and MKS systems can be added whenever time is available.


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

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#3 2007-12-13 21:54:37

MathsIsFun
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Thanks, g!


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#4 2007-12-14 04:27:15

mathsyperson
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Nice pages! A few things:

- As well as the terms you have, non-metric measurements can be called Imperial.
- Stone is another Imperial weight.
- I don't see these two images:

us-standard-units_image020.jpgus-standard-units_image024.jpg

If you do then it's a problem on my end though.

- The metric page is flawless!


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

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#5 2007-12-14 04:38:57

John E. Franklin
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Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Very nice pages, I agree!!
I also can't see those 2 picts.
See misplaced period, search: ".Anything  that"
Wow!! A long ton is close to a metric ton.
In US, not so.


igloo myrtilles fourmis

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#6 2007-12-14 09:46:40

MathsIsFun
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Thanks, guys, I will attend to those.

(Images are actually missing)

"Ton" is a problem ... different people interpret it differently ... Short Ton (2,000) or Long Ton (2,240 lb). I may have to mention both, but I don't want to complicate the article

What do you think of it as?

Any suggestions?


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#7 2007-12-16 17:31:35

John E. Franklin
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Registered: 2005-08-29
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Well in New England, 2000lbs is all most people know of I think.


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#8 2007-12-16 19:45:00

luca-deltodesco
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Registered: 2006-05-05
Posts: 1,470

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

mathsyperson, the problem with calling it imperial, is the US measurements are not strictly imperial.

Imperial -> US
1 = 0.961 (fl.oz) (imperial is smaller)
1 = 1.201 (pint) (imperial is larger)
1 = 1.201 (liquid gallon US) = 1.032 (dry gallon US) (imperial has one gallon, and is larger than both dry and liquid US gallon)

etc.

and also, imperial units : a hundredweight = 112lb, in US 100lb. a ton is 2240lb, US = 2000lb


Also, perhaps you should list all imperial/US measurements. Things like furlongs and nautical miles, acres. And if you do a proper imperial page, stones for mass aswell. They aern't used in US, but in places like UK they are heavily used, and also please make a note on non US spellings tongue (litre not liter, metre not meter etc. ;P)

Last edited by luca-deltodesco (2007-12-16 19:48:45)


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#9 2007-12-17 00:14:02

MathsIsFun
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Thanks, good advice.

I was thinking to tackle Imperial at a later date.

It seems like one can write forever on measurements!


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#10 2007-12-17 00:52:34

mathsyperson
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Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Ah, my mistake then. I didn't realise those two were different.


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

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#11 2007-12-17 08:21:20

MathsIsFun
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

I am torn between providing information, and burdening kids with things to learn. Life is a lot simpler for kids in metric countries!


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#12 2007-12-17 10:41:39

MathsIsFun
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Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

I have completely redone the Measurement Index, with individual pages for length, area, volume and mass for both Metric and US Standard.


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#13 2007-12-17 11:50:45

luca-deltodesco
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Posts: 1,470

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

thats much better organised i think, but the US standard needs to have the 'english' bit removed in first description tongue{


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#14 2007-12-17 17:41:01

Jai Ganesh
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Registered: 2005-06-28
Posts: 45,956

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Very interesting and useful pages!!!!! Well done, MathsIsFun!!!!!


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

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#15 2007-12-17 23:20:20

MathsIsFun
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Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Thanks.

By the way, at the bottom of each individual page such as US Standard Lengths I give examples. But some pages (US Standard Area  and others) need more examples

Do you have any good examples of measurements? What common things are a square inch, a pint, weigh a pound, etc


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#16 2008-01-11 09:31:26

John E. Franklin
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Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

a saltine (nabisco) is almost 2 inches square, or almost 4 square inches.
There are some smaller square cheese flavored snacks, but I don't have any.
An acre is almost 209 feet square, maybe 208.7 or ??
There are 640 acres in a square mile.
5280 / 209 is 25.3 square acres along edge of a square mile.
43560 square feet for acre?

Last edited by John E. Franklin (2008-01-11 09:35:09)


igloo myrtilles fourmis

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#17 2008-01-11 10:06:24

MathsIsFun
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Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Thanks, John ... I will see about including those.

But don't understand "5280 / 209 is 25.3 square acres along edge of a square mile."


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#18 2008-01-12 18:59:55

John E. Franklin
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Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Introduction to Metric, and US Standard Measures.

Oh, um, it's not in proper English.  But 5280 ft is one side of a perfect square mile.
And (43560)^0.5 is ~208.7 ft for side of a perfectly square acre.
Now 25 times 25 is 625, which is close to 640 acres in a square mile.
So it turns out that if a grid is made with acres in a square mile, it is aproximately
25.3 squares in both x and y directions.
(5280 * 5280 / 43560 = 640 exactly!)
√640 = ~ 25.298
Oh my, guess what I just discovered!!
A strip 1 inch wide by 99 miles long is EXACTLY one acre!!!
Wow!!  That's a nice ending after a fun time dancing tonight!


igloo myrtilles fourmis

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