Wondering why the metric system has never been converted to by the US

rickybobby

Please bring back Tapestry of Nations
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
So much easier to do conversions with math. It would put us on the same system as other countries.
They were saying we would do this since I was a child in the stone age.
 
I don't know. Yet the math nerd in me loves math since it's the universal language and there can be multiple ways to find the same answer.
 
My first reaction is because it ISN'T easier. But to be honest, it maybe because it isn't familiar.
Look no further than Canada. They "converted" in 1975, two GENERATIONS ago, and their grocery stores still give the price per POUND priority.
This is this week's Safeway of Canada ad. Price per pound is in huge letters, price per kg is in the fine print.
https://www.safeway.ca/flyer
 


My first reaction is because it ISN'T easier. But to be honest, it maybe because it isn't familiar.
Look no further than Canada. They "converted" in 1975, two GENERATIONS ago, and their grocery stores still give the price per POUND priority.
This is this week's Safeway of Canada ad. Price per pound is in huge letters, price per kg is in the fine print.
https://www.safeway.ca/flyer


It also has to do with the fact that many specifying agencies won't allow simple conversions for equipment and standards. I'm involved with the agency that writes test methods and specifies testing equipment for the industry that I work in. We are not allowed to do direct conversions when switching from english to metric. We have to use the same level of accuracy for both. What this means is that if a standard currently requires 1 inch, we can't change it to 2.54 cm. We have to use 2 or 3 cm, but neither will be the same length as the current method requires. It's hard to convince an entire industry that they need to ditch perfectly good equipment just so we can switch to metric.

Thankfully, for our industry, any methods developed since the late 1980s were written in metric to begin with. It's just the older methods that we struggle with, especially when other countries want to use them.
 
They tried, starting in 1971. National Bureau of Standards. Congress made it voluntary.

Check out the Metric Conversion Act of 1975.

That's the nicest thing I can say about the matter, so I'm stopping.
 
It also has to do with the fact that many specifying agencies won't allow simple conversions for equipment and standards. I'm involved with the agency that writes test methods and specifies testing equipment for the industry that I work in. We are not allowed to do direct conversions when switching from english to metric. We have to use the same level of accuracy for both. What this means is that if a standard currently requires 1 inch, we can't change it to 2.54 cm. We have to use 2 or 3 cm, but neither will be the same length as the current method requires. It's hard to convince an entire industry that they need to ditch perfectly good equipment just so we can switch to metric.

Thankfully, for our industry, any methods developed since the late 1980s were written in metric to begin with. It's just the older methods that we struggle with, especially when other countries want to use them.

I can see that in industry. But for common folks wanting to fix their Great-Great Grandma's beloved Beef stroganoff,all they know is they need one POUND of meet, one CUP of heavy cream...etc
 


That's an incomplete pass which will put the "Insert Football Team", 2nd down and 9.144.

And it looks like the winning run is 27.432 meters away.
 
I can see that in industry. But for common folks wanting to fix their Great-Great Grandma's beloved Beef stroganoff,all they know is they need one POUND of meet, one CUP of heavy cream...etc

Exactly, they know the recipe takes 1 lb of beef, not 0.454 kg of beef. That's why it's so hard to switch. It's not like 1lb = 2 kg or something easy to convert.

When I was in first grade (a long, long, long time ago), we were taught metric along with english units because the entire country was going to convert in a few years. Then, by the time I got to middle school like the previous poster said, it was voluntary and we went back to learning the english system.

It's just like any other language, you can learn it at school but the language you use at home and everywhere else is the one you will be most comfortable with.
 
I can see that in industry. But for common folks wanting to fix their Great-Great Grandma's beloved Beef stroganoff,all they know is they need one POUND of meet, one CUP of heavy cream...etc

It's easy to convert though. Too many people make it way too hard on themselves. You don't need to know for most recipes that a pound is .453592 Kg. All you need to know is it's just short of a half a kilo. Grandma's beef Stroganoff isn't so dependent on precise measurements that it is going to be affected. Similarly, all you really need to know is a cup is a tad over 2 1/3 deciliters or 236 ml

And for things that do require more precision, well those that use the metric system know how to bake a cake or bread too. And they have recipes. It's not like we have to reinvent fire.

Where the conversion hassle comes in is industry.
 
It's easy to convert though. Too many people make it way too hard on themselves. You don't need to know for most recipes that a pound is .453592 Kg. All you need to know is it's just short of a half a kilo. Grandma's beef Stroganoff isn't so dependent on precise measurements that it is going to be affected. Similarly, all you really need to know is a cup is a tad over 2 1/3 deciliters or 236 ml

And for things that do require more precision, well those that use the metric system know how to bake a cake or bread too. And they have recipes. It's not like we have to reinvent fire.

Where the conversion hassle comes in is industry.

I definitely don't disagree with you, but we have people working in stores who can't make change for a dollar without a calculator. You're talking about fractions. I don't think we'll ever switch for everyday stuff for that reason.
 
My first reaction is because it ISN'T easier. But to be honest, it maybe because it isn't familiar.
Look no further than Canada. They "converted" in 1975, two GENERATIONS ago, and their grocery stores still give the price per POUND priority.
This is this week's Safeway of Canada ad. Price per pound is in huge letters, price per kg is in the fine print.
https://www.safeway.ca/flyer

To be fair, I am pretty sure that the price per pound priority in our flyers is a marketing ploy. When they advertise by pound it looks much cheaper!
 
I never heard it referred to as "English" system of measure before. In Canada we learned it as "Imperial" vs "Metric".

Ah, Imperial for another twist. Take a gallon of gasoline in the US vs UK (which, BTW still uses gallons & miles). The Imperial gallon is more than a US gallon.
 
And for things that do require more precision, well those that use the metric system know how to bake a cake or bread too. And they have recipes.
Of course they have recipes, but they do not have MY recipes that I have refined and collected for the past 50 years. I'm really into food, and there's nothing I like to do better than compare recipes. Interesting how subtle differences can make such a difference.

I was a math major and have nothing against the metric system. I quite often try a new recipe that requires weighing ingredients (metric). Quite easy with a relatively inexpensive scale. But I spent years getting just the right recipe (that I like) for dinner rolls after baking countless versions that were just okay. Of course I could convert it to metric (might take a little bit to hone it as it's not really precisely the same every time I make it non-metric) - but why? I have it memorized as it is now.

Give me something new to try in metric, and I'll use it as is. I'd just turn my measuring cup to the metric side and take out my scale. But those tiny measurements might throw me. I don't have any metric measuring spoons. But if it's spices I'd probably do it to taste anyway.
 
Exactly, they know the recipe takes 1 lb of beef, not 0.454 kg of beef. That's why it's so hard to switch. It's not like 1lb = 2 kg or something easy to convert.

When I was in first grade (a long, long, long time ago), we were taught metric along with english units because the entire country was going to convert in a few years. Then, by the time I got to middle school like the previous poster said, it was voluntary and we went back to learning the english system.

It's just like any other language, you can learn it at school but the language you use at home and everywhere else is the one you will be most comfortable with.
Yup. Like I said, because it isn't familiar.
 
To be fair, I am pretty sure that the price per pound priority in our flyers is a marketing ploy. When they advertise by pound it looks much cheaper!

I remember during the first big run up in gas prices here, gas stations converted to liters. Then as the pumps were swapped, they went over $1.00 a gallon.
 

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