Why is the metric system of measurements better than the English system?

Answer 1

First, it is easier if everybody uses the SAME units of measure. This is the reason the metric system was created in the first place. Currently, most countries in the world use metric units.

Second, because of the use of powers of 10, conversions are much easier. For example, 13 kilometers is the same as 13,000 meters (just multiply by 1000). Now try the same, converting miles to feet!

Finally - and this is a little more technical - the use of a consistent system of units makes several formulae simpler.

Answer 2

Because it's similar to the base-10 numeral system we use. 10 of one unit = 1 of the next larger unit (ie 10mm = 1cm, 10cm = 1dm, and so on). This is much simpler than the US Customary system, where 12in = 1 ft, 3ft=1 yard, 1760 yards = 1 mile, and so on.

Answer 3

The metric system isn't better in terms of accuracy. Any system can be wonderfully accurate. Where the metric system scores over others is its ease of use. It was designed to be simple and interconnected. Using base ten for all its measures, because we usually count in tens, means that we find the calculations easy to understand.

Answer 4

Several benefits.

• First and foremost, it is the international standard.
  
• The same unit means the same thing all over the world. For comparison, a "pound" for example is NOT the same all over the world. Different countries use different definitions.
• The SI prefixes make it very easy to convert. For example, how much is 17 kilometers in meters? Just multiply by 1000; which you can easily do in your head. Now try to convert 17 miles to feet.
• The units are also related to one another in a way that makes calculations simple. For instance, for a rectangle which has a certain number of meters for length and side, you simply multiply both, to get the area in square meters. In the English system, you have the same simplicity with feet vs. square feet and cubic feet; but you also have different units, such as acres or gallons, which require additional conversion factors.

Answer 5

There are several advantages with the metric system. Some of them are:

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

2. Orders of magnitude for measuring the same attribute are related by simple multiples or fractions of powers of ten conversions and only a handful of prefices are required (although there are a lot more available for very big and very small amounts). 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 simple to use scientific notation for very small and very large quantities.

3. It 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 between measures for one characteristic to another. For example, the force required to accelerate a mass of 1 kilogram by 1 metre/second^2 is 1 Newton. The pressure exerted by 1 Newton over an area of 1 Square metre is 1 Pascal.

Answer 6

You can convert metric units more easily than English units because the metric system is used with 10s instead of random numbers.

Answer 7

one reason is because it is metrics is in thepowers on 10. also because every country in the world use except for 3.

Answer 8

Because of the powers of 10 used. For example, to convert 5 km to meters, just add three zeros; to convert to millimeters, add 6 zeroes. Now try to convert 5 miles to inches.

Answer 9

Why is the metric system easier to use mathematically than the customary system