What is the difference between the metric system and ours?

Answer 1

This depends on what country you mean by 'ours'!

In the UK they have been using what is known as Imperial measures for centuries for many things. These measurements have become standardised over the centuries.

They have feet and inches, miles and gallons, ounces and pounds and stones! How strange!

Metric measures have names like litres, metres, centimetres, millimeters, etc.

One measure of length in the UK is a 'foot'! Although originally based on an average length of someone's foot (!), it is equal to approx 0.3048 of a metre. (= metric)

Whereas Imperial measures have become established by custom and usage, metric measures are based on physics (with, perhaps, some relationship to features of the earth).

For example the 'metre' was originally designed to represent 1⁄10,000,000 of the distance from the equator to the north pole through Paris.

However, to be even more precise, it is now defined as the distance travelled by light in absolute vacuum in 1⁄299,792,458ths of a second!

This is tricky to check by yourself, so it best to just accept the current definition!

The metric system has the advantage that calculations are made easier because every metric unit is based on multiples of ten, whereas Imperial measures have different multiples. For example, a foot has twelve inches (not ten toes!), and three feet equals a yard (not a tripod!).

However, the metric system still has it's own limitations. Just try dividing 1 by 3 on a calculator! But what is 1/3rd of a 'foot'? Exactly 4 inches of course!

Answer 2

The metric system is based on units of ten and uses prefixes to indicate different magnitudes (e.g. kilometers, centimeters). The imperial system, also known as the US customary units, is based on historical units and can be more complex to convert between different units (e.g. miles, inches, pounds).