Teaching in the metric system to American kids

[rstofer]

The US does not now, nor will it ever, use the metric system for common measurements. There are a number of reasons: don't want anything to do with 'European' ideas, too costly to convert, scientists can feel superior and any of a number of others.

But you're teaching kids. Why make it harder than it needs to be? The American system is feet, pounds and seconds. It's a crappy system but it's what we use.

Richard

 

[Tomeck]

I use metric system, but I write imperial unit for you.

Two years ago, I created a thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/no...-doesnt-usa-adopt-officially-metric-unit.html

 

[Walter]

We all know that the metric system is much better than the imperial system

I don't know that at all. Read this.

 

[Katamuki]

I live in Japan and use both metric and imperial and find imperial much more discreet in diving for distance and depth calculation. Using fractions or decimals of meters is a pain. Using bar for pressure is no big deal but what I find funny is that 50 bar is the red zone on spgs compared to 500 on imperial ones.

 

[garyfotodiver]

For decades, generations really, other people around the world have found fault with everything about the US. However, what country is asked to provide assistance when another country is in serious trouble? Right, US.

This sounds like laziness to me.

Just my 0.02 bar, or 0.290076 psi.

 

[japan-diver]

We have a large number of American students but the majority of clients are from elsewhere - we use whatever system the "CLIENT" is more familiar with. This is a customer service industry if you are teaching Americans teach in there system if you are teaching others use theirs.

If you are going to have an international clientele you need to know both - they want to learn scuba not a new measuring system.

 

[Hickdive]

The American system is feet, pounds and seconds.
Richard

I'm familiar with metres and kilograms but I'm curious to know what the metric alternative to 'seconds' is?

 

[clint@uniquescuba.com]

I don't know that at all. Read this.

That's a pretty good blog...some very good points...thanks for sharing

 

[Abbo]

For entry-level diving, the units are not terribly important: you want to know if your tank is full or empty, and if you are diving too deep. You are not going to be doing calculations with the numbers. The chances are that you will run out of air before decompression becomes a factor.

The trouble is that the more you dive the more you need to manipulate the numbers; sometimes you may actually need to do a calculation in your head that can save your life - like working out how long a tank will last, or which sensor on a rebreather is reading correctly. The English imperial system was made for farmers, not scientists. In metric, the pressure increases by 1 bar for every 10 metres depth: I like that - it makes for the kind of calculation even I can do. I got degrees in physics, but never knew my times tables. 14.7PSI is one atmosphere, but I certainly never knew my 14.7x tables. Broadly, pressure increases 15 PSI every 30 feet then: good luck with the maths! Feet and inches are for poets.

 

[vshearer]

The US does not now, nor will it ever, use the metric system for common measurements. There are a number of reasons: don't want anything to do with 'European' ideas, too costly to convert, scientists can feel superior and any of a number of others.

But you're teaching kids. Why make it harder than it needs to be? The American system is feet, pounds and seconds. It's a crappy system but it's what we use.

Richard

Yeah, well. That just means we will keep slamming 2 billion dollar satellites into Mars.