this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2026
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It seems like a weird point to bring up. How often do y'all convert your measurements? It's not even a daily thing. If I'm measuring something, I either do it in inches, or feet, rarely yards. I've never once had to convert feet into miles, and I can't imagine I'm unique in this. When I have needed to, it's usually converting down (I.e. 1/3 of a foot), which imperial does handle better in more cases.

Like. I don't care if we switch, I do mostly use metric personally, it just seems like a weird point to be the most common pro-metric argument when it's also the one I'm least convinced by due to how metric is based off of base 10 numbering, which has so many problems with it.

Edit: After reading/responding a lot in the comments, it does seem like there's a fundamental difference in how distance is viewed in metric/imperial countries. I can't quite put my finger on how, but it seems the difference is bigger than 1 mile = 1.6km

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[–] BlueEther@no.lastname.nz 44 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I think the best 'conversion' thing in metric is not the mm/cm/m/km type ones but the volumetric type ones: a cubic metre of water/ 1 tonne / 1000 litres

What's the equivalent un US units? 1 cubic yard / 1684.8 pound / 807.8961039 qt / 25852.675325 oz ?

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol -1 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Even then I don't find the weight particularly useful, because it only applies to liquids with the same density of water.

Also 1 gallon is 231 cubic inches. Idk why, but it is, and I've already looked into all of the weird imperial measurements previously xD

[–] IronKrill@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Most liquids are similar to water. I will fairly often see a liquid and can do a quick estimation of weight based on volume. 40L water canister? That's about 40kg. It takes no effort to calculate.

Fair point, it is usually things like syrup that end up having a massively different weight

[–] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Water is the most abundant liquid on our planet. And most liquids we interact with have a density very similar to water.

What's your argument? "Oh. The ratio of volume and mass units don't work for all the densities? Then it's useless.". What benefit would any other ratio that is worth to give up the 1L=1Kg water ratio?

[–] BlueEther@no.lastname.nz 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

ok, so i have a liquid (honey) with density of about 1.4 g/ml that is 1.4 tonne for the m^3

You had the same density of ~11.5lb/gal what is the above calculation?

just look at all that maths https://measuringstuff.com/how-much-does-a-gallon-of-honey-weigh/

[edit, shit my spelling is bad this morning]

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

231=3 * 7 * 11, just in case you wanted to buy enough to give each of your three children 11 cubic inches of orange juice every day for a week.

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ahh, yes, the classic two and a half eggs of daily OJ