Metric or Imperial? Or both?

[mustang1]

Do you climb in metres as well, then record it in feet?

Good idea. Just started.

 

[Beebo]

Tesco have admitted to using the Gregorian calendar on their products.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48764021

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Tesco have admitted to using the Gregorian calendar on their products.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48764021

Nowt wrong with Gregorian , we've used the calendar for about 350 years. In shock news Tesco admit to using the modern calendar.

 

[Beebo]

Nowt wrong with Gregorian , we've used the calendar for about 350 years. In shock news Tesco admit to using the modern calendar.

Sorry the Julian calendar not the Gregorian

 

[Andy in Germany]

I looked this up, officially Imperial measurements were finally withdrawn from UK schools in July 1974.
From that point metric was compulsory teaching and imperial optional.

I had no idea that Imperial was still being used into the 1980's, it explains why we still have so many issues with measurements in the maritime world.
By the look of things there was a resurgence of the Imperial system in the 1990's led by the "metric martyrs" who were typically Euro-sceptics.

Does that include private schools? They may have retained the old ways, rather like teaching that pink bits on the map are the bits we are entitled to after we showed them how to be civilised, the ingrates.

 

[nagden]

Totally metric now. Have forgotten impérial and find metric more practical.

 

[raleighnut]

Still using them in 1982, at school

Still got the old textbooks

(Boris Johnson, born 1964, therefore went to junior School 1970-75, and so may have been still taught Imperial measurements, £SD, and Pink bits on the map.)

Along with Latin, shame they never taught him Morals or Honesty and TBH I think Economics were a bit over his head.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Ah just got it! Only several hours later!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Spoken to my mother. Our local authority (where I grew up) went completely metric teaching in schools in 1972 though as pointed out 1974 was the law. But it has taken a couple of generations before metric is more commonly used in Britain. So I would have learnt imperial from everyday exposure, not school.

Amazing why you think what you know, then find out the reasons you know something are different.

 

[classic33]

Still got the old textbooks

Textbooks were all handed back upon leaving. Some of the exercise books still though.


The only real effort made on teaching the metric system was 74 -75. We were given 20cm wooden rulers, size stands out in the memory. Half red, half "natural wood" replaced all plastic rulers.

 

[Brains]

Spoken to my mother. Our local authority (where I grew up) went completely metric teaching in schools in 1972 though as pointed out 1974 was the law. But it has taken a couple of generations before metric is more commonly used in Britain. So I would have learnt imperial from everyday exposure, not school.

Amazing why you think what you know, then find out the reasons you know something are different.

What this therefore means is no one under the age of 50 in the UK should be using Imperial as a primary method of measurement, as they were taught in the metric system.

Basically, Imperial implies you are 'old'

Whilst the people in their 60's and above may have an excuse and it's just about possible for someone now coming up to retirement age to have missed out on being taught metric, anyone now in their 50's would have been taught in metric, and anyone in their late 40's and younger has no excuse!

Born around 1957 seems to be the break point.
Born before 1957 you 'may' have an excuse.
Born after 1957 you do not!

 

[slowmotion]

Layout grids for electronic circuit boards tend to be based on 0.1 inches ( and multiples and fractions). Some components are metric. It's a PITA.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I am metric with temperature, but prefer Imperial for every day things. Metric's definitely better for engineering and scientific purposes. It's easier to calculate energies, work done, forces, powers using metric than imperial. It must be a major drag on US engineering. Oddly the American use BTUs for heat, which stands for British Thermal Unit, while we use Joules or kWh.

I have always been a bit vague about the smaller units in Imperial. I've never used 8ths of an inch. I am not sure how many ounces there are in a pound.

 

[raleighnut]

Textbooks were all handed back upon leaving. Some of the exercise books still though.


The only real effort made on teaching the metric system was 74 -75. We were given 20cm wooden rulers, size stands out in the memory. Half red, half "natural wood" replaced all plastic rulers.

I meant the school had their old textbooks and were still teaching from those.

 

[raleighnut]

I am metric with temperature, but prefer Imperial for every day things. Metric's definitely better for engineering and scientific purposes. It's easier to calculate energies, work done, forces, powers using metric than imperial. It must be a major drag on US engineering. Oddly the American use BTUs for heat, which stands for British Thermal Unit, while we use Joules or kWh.

I have always been a bit vague about the smaller units in Imperial. I've never used 8ths of an inch. I am not sure how many ounces there are in a pound.

I can still think of things I buy by the 1/8th which strangely is the weight of 1 New Pence, a 2p weighs 1/4oz too and the 1/2 new pence, yep you guessed it a 'teenth'