What is the difference between the metric system and the customary system?

Answer 1

There are several differences. Some of them are:

1. The metric system is internationally agreed as standard. Not like a gallon which can mean one amount in the US and another in the UK.

2. In the metric system orders of magnitude for the same measure are related by simple decimal conversions and only a handful of prefices are required (although there are a lot more if required). By way of contrast, the Imperial system uses:

• 2 pints in a quart
• 3 feet in a yard
• 4 quarts in a gallon
• 6 feet in a fathom
• 8 furlongs in a mile
• 9 square feet in a square yard
• 12 inches in a foot
• 14 pounds in a stone
• 16 ounces in a pound

and so on, and on and on. The decimal structure also makes it very simple to use scientific notation for small and large quantities.

3. The metric system is used by most people in the world. The main recalcitrant countries are USA, Liberia and Myanmar. Even in the US, scientists normally use SI. When they don't they have disasters like the one that trashed NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter!

4. There are many simple relations from measures for one characteristic to another. For example, the SI unit of length is 1 metre. 100 square metres = 1 are, the unit for area. 1 cubic metre = 1000 litres, the unit for volume.

Answer 2

The metric system is a decimal-based system of measurement with units such as meters, grams, and liters, while the customary system is a system used predominantly in the United States and includes units like inches, pounds, and gallons. The metric system is more widely used worldwide and is more consistent because it is based on powers of ten.

Answer 3

the metric system uses:

• kilogram for mass measurements,
• meters for length measurements.