# How confusing/unintuitive is the metric system to the average American? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698 "2015-02-26T19:31:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/61 "2015-02-28T18:09:57Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I once read (but did not double check anywhere to verify, because I’m not sure where I’d look) that the origin of the 2-liter soda bottle is that sodas manufacturers wanted to sell 1/2 gallons, but market research suggested that people wouldn’t buy it because they’d feel gluttonous buying that much soda in one bottle-- this was when you could still get those 8oz bottles of soda, were still major sellers, and the bigger ones were considered something that mostly people in their 20s, who were slightly irresponsible anyway, drank. It didn’t matter that the 1/2 gallon was being marketed as multi-serving. > > So they were named “2-liter,” a measurement Americans weren’t familiar with, and put into giant versions of regular bottles. Even though you could look at them and clearly see what you were getting, people found them less objectionable than 1/2 gallon jugs. Now I feel old- because I can remember when soda was in fact sold in 64 ounce bottles (which looked like the smaller sized soda bottles of the time , not jugs\*) and people did buy them. It was also sold in 32 oz bottles rather than the current 1L. I believe the switch happened at a time when there was a lot of talk about the US switching to metric, but I’m not certain. \*[This](http://sodamuseum.com/sodapictures/14aug02/Insulbot.jpg)show a 64 oz coke- the smaller bottles also had the foam labels. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/62 "2015-03-01T22:46:42Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Speaking for myself, it’s simple enough to convert one unit into another, like pounds to kilograms. But converting mpg to kpl is trickier. Well, of course I can do it, but I can’t readily estimate it. I have to do the arithmetic. ETA: With regard to how logical and cohesive the metric system seems within itself, of course I find the metric system more straightforward and intuitive than avoirdupois/Imperial. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/63 "2015-03-01T23:31:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And American measurements aren’t really so easily-divided, either. What’s a third of a pound? What’s a fifth of a foot? What’s a quarter of a stone? The stone is a unit virtually unknown in the US. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/64 "2015-03-02T18:57:06Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > the F temperature unit is a more useful size. the defining values for the scale changed for what might be useful then and could be marked by hand. the high end defining value was body temperature. Good old Fahrenheit wanted a scale anyone could reproduce in a simple home scientist lab as found around 1600. 0F is the coldest you can get by mixing salt and ice to get water; so obviously there was not a lot of use for a scale to go below that, and the 0 was easy to reproduce. Similarly, the joke goes he used 100 for body temperature but had a bit of a fever after playing with all that ice, salt, and cold water. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/65 "2015-03-02T19:20:00Z")
If I have to calculate heat rates in anything other than mmbtus/MWhr, I’m pretty much screwed. And moving away from mmbtu/ton for coal? I’m just not having it. ---
**Author:** ![dunkleosteus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dunkleosteus/32/9331_2.png) [@dunkleosteus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunkleosteus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/66 "2015-03-02T19:39:55Z")
Youngish Canadian here, but I’ve visited the states a number of times and I understand Fahrenheit well enough. Call it bias, but I personally prefer Celsius. When you’re outside, there’s sunlight, shade, wind, clouds, humidity. The actual feel of the outdoors is probably much closer to a range or an estimate than any exact number, so if you want to say that Fahrenheit is better for weather, the preciseness in my opinion is rather irrelevant. When you get indoors, it’s a much more controlled environment. As previously mentioned, the 5:9 ratio for F:C means that using simple half units of C gives you the same precision that F would supply, and as also previously mentioned, the imperial system is quite familiar with fractions. Objectively there probably isn’t much of an argument day-to-day to switching to C (not one against it either imo). C is easier to convert to Kelvin for scientific measurements and it would at least be more useful when communicating with other countries, but on it’s own in the united states, I don’t think C is any better or worse than F. ---
**Author:** ![dunkleosteus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dunkleosteus/32/9331_2.png) [@dunkleosteus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunkleosteus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/67 "2015-03-02T19:47:03Z")
If we’re talking about other measurements though, I think it would be a lot better. I’ve seen velocity recorded in miles per hour, pressure in pounds per square inch, force in pounds, distance done in inches or miles or feet, height measured in feet and inches (ie 5’11"). As far as that goes, it’s a mess. Say one person records pressure in tons per square yard and another person in pounds per square inch. The conversion between them is x 81/125. If a similar problem occurred in the metric system with one person recording in pascals (N/m^2) and the other person in N/cm^2, the conversion from N/cm^2 to pascals would be to multipl by 10000. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/68 "2015-03-02T20:17:31Z")
I nearly forgot about cinder blocks. I watch Holmes on Homes and he kept giving these weird ratings for cinder blocks. WTH is wrong with this guy? then I remembered he’s in Canada. PSI isn’t good enough. They got to use metric even for that. cinder blocks come in a couple different strengths. 1900 psi is a common one. Concrete is mixed based on the psi needed for an application. Foundation walls for a house require a high psi. Sidewalks can use a lower psi mix. I really don’t see the point of going metric for a rating like this. It just adds confusion and can even be dangerous. Imagine a house foundation poured with concrete mixed for a sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/69 "2015-03-03T02:14:40Z")
Hence why we should avoid the confusion by using metric for it, instead of introducing confusion by using antiquated American units. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/70 "2015-03-03T02:31:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > … then I remembered he’s in Canada. PSI isn’t good enough. They got to use metric even for that. … Since they don’t use pounds and they don’t use inches, you’ve got to admit that \*not \*using PSI \*does \*make a certain amount of sense now doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Chicago\_Faucet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chicago_faucet/32/13910_2.png) [@Chicago\_Faucet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicago_Faucet)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/71 "2015-03-03T02:58:42Z")
I like numbers and comparisons, so this American likes to constantly try to flip back and forth between the two systems, just as a game - even as aggravating and irritating as it can be sometimes. Overall, the metric system makes more sense. Even though I grew up on the English system (thanks _a lot_ ENGLAND), it is still uncomfortable to me of how “uneven” it is. Of course, on the other side, it’s also weird when I walk a mile - which is not that far - and I calculate that I just moved 1.6 kilometers - one thousand and six hundred meters - and then stretch my arms out about as far as a meter as a comparison. What’s so special about a 3 mile run, except that it’s 5 kilometers? Also, it breaks my brain every time when I realize that there are 2.5 centimeters in an inch, but a meter is longer than a yard. And then, how absolutely tiny a millimeter is. I sometimes watch a football (American) game and wonder how much longer the field would be if it was 100 meters instead of 100 yards. Thankfully, at least quarts match up somewhat pleasantly with liters. As liquid goes, I think that’s a reasonable amount of measure multiplier for almost any situation. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/72 "2015-03-03T04:06:56Z")
> [@Chicago\_Faucet](#): > > I sometimes watch a football (American) game and wonder how much longer the field would be if it was 100 meters instead of 100 yards. Well, the field would be 110 yards (101 meters) and you’d only have 3 downs. ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/73 "2015-03-03T05:04:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > C on the other hand. Geez 30C versus 20C is a big difference. That’s totally different weather. Maybe I’m a little odd. But where I live, if the daily max is anywhere between 17C and 30C I’ll keep the windows open to air the house - I don’t have aircon. Right now it’s 27C inside and 28C outside and 40% humidity and I’m not even breaking the tiniest sweat - though I do have a fan on. I guess if you have high humidity you’ll feel the higher temperatures more. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/74 "2015-03-03T05:31:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I have no real frame of reference for centimeters. Never use them. Use 'em all the time: US rulers typically have both measures. Don’t know how tall I am in cm though. > [@RickJay](#): > > Temperature in the F scale is just silly; I know the basic points (32 is freezing, 65-70 is room temperature, 80 a nice summer day, 90+ very hot, 212 water boils) but otherwise it’s a weird system and I’d prefer to see it expressed in C. Temperature is a bit of a sticking point, as are speed limits. **MfM’s guide to Fahrenheit** 30s: Cold but bearable. Definitely winter jacket. 40s: You need a jacket, but nice for a winter day! I’d have a winter jacket, but others may not. 50s: Need a spring/fall jacket 65-72: Room temperature 80s: Summer 90s: Hot summer 100s: OMG this Death Valley (or Phoenix) 20s: Getting cold. 10s, etc. Holy crap. -30: I’ve never experienced this. -20: I haven’t experienced this either (well maybe a couple of times), though Chicago residents probably have. “Chill factors” of -20 F are pretty routine though. It occurs to me that these temperatures are tied to the area where I grew up. Anyway, what’s the analogue for centigrade? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/75 "2015-03-03T07:29:39Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > It occurs to me that these temperatures are tied to the area where I grew up. Anyway, what’s the analogue for centigrade? \< -10C Seriously to dangerously cold. By this point you may want to wear a scarf round your mouth or even balaclava. -10C Very cold. Point at which you need to cover your ears. 0C Need winter clothes but will feel OK as long as there’s no wind or rain. 10C Need a spring / autumn jacket 20C room temperature. + nice day outside if no significant wind or rain. Prob don’t need jacket. 30C Very hot day. Beach clothes. 40C or higher. Serious to dangerously hot. Can’t stay outside for long, whatever you’re wearing. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/76 "2015-03-03T08:29:58Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Would be a dodgy enough premise even if true, but wouldn’t JC have used Talmudic measures like spans, shekels and omer or something similarly archane? > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Jesus of Nazareth, if he existed, probably worked in spans, hins, and shekels. psst, you guys, that was a joke > [@boffking](#): > > Since when does a 2 liter bottle hold **3** liters? I’m not sure if that was a joke or a mistake. I suspect joke. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/77 "2015-03-03T12:40:08Z")
Being from the “dual standard” generation, I don’t have much of a problem understanding that, in Celsius, 0 = freezing 5 = woolly, scarf, hat and gloves 10 = the scarf, hat and gloves may get to be a bit of a nuisance 15 = you might not need a jacket 20 = short sleeves might be a good idea 25 = summer is definitely here 30 = lie in the shade and forget the world ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/78 "2015-03-03T14:27:58Z")
> [@Chicago\_Faucet](#): > > I sometimes watch a football (American) game and wonder how much longer the field would be if it was 100 meters instead of 100 yards. … The same length as it is now, plus one end zone. ---
**Author:** ![halfreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@halfreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/halfreal)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/79 "2015-03-03T17:42:20Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > There are two senses in which I think it is a bit less intuitive. The first is that it’s more intuitive for the human mind to keep dividing things in half: half an inch, 1/4, 1/8, etc. But with the metric system, you quickly start getting into decimals, which aren’t as intuitive. Dividing in half works just as fine with centimeters: half a centimeter, 1/4 cm, 1/8 cm. Whether or not you convert that into 5 , 2.5 , or 1.25 mm is up to you and the purpose. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698/80 "2015-03-03T18:22:28Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Being from the “dual standard” generation, I don’t have much of a problem understanding that, in Celsius, > > 0 = freezing > 5 = woolly, scarf, hat and gloves > 10 = the scarf, hat and gloves may get to be a bit of a nuisance > 15 = you might not need a jacket > 20 = short sleeves might be a good idea > 25 = summer is definitely here > 30 = lie in the shade and forget the world In Scotland and Newcastle they have a different take on it: 0 = Mild, need a shirt and, possibly, underwear if it’s windy 5 = As above but minus the undies 10 = No need for a shirt. 20 = Phew! It’s awfy hot. Put some more tins in the fridge. 25 = Shorts and a string vest, but staying on the couch. 30 = Standing naked in front of the fridge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-confusing-unintuitive-is-the-metric-system-to-the-average-american/713698.md?page=5)