Title text:
The package weighs 7 kg 9 oz.
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3164/
No worse nor better than "10 stone, 8".
this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2025
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Not only did the British invent imperial, they only halfway switched back. America just takes all the fire for it.
- Pro metric-er
gestures wildly to Canada
Edit if you're wondering what I mean: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/0_QvI6tfalo
As a Canadian, can confirm, and yeah I agree it’s kinda nuts. But it’s what we’re all used to here, and most people will look at you weird or confused if you use the “wrong” system of measurement.
Here’s a pretty good flow chart for anyone curious:
You measure distance in time? Is there a standard spe? you use?
Usually, how long it takes to drive there, unless specified otherwise (3 hour flight, 2 hours on bus, half hour walk, etc).
‘Tis a tale of competing supply chains. The Empire prevails, despite reason and the will of The People.
It’s always funny to me the ways they “went metric” but things like cans of beer are 473 mL (16 US fl oz) or iced tea is 341 mL (11.5 US fl oz).
😂 That was wild!
It is really wild: Produce is still sold by the pound.
1.66 yards and 45.72 cm.
The UK….yeah
Distance in miles but fuel in litres so miles per gallon figures that we are given are basically just a scale to compare against other cars.
Except on our roads some things are actually in metric, like if a sign says “100 yards” that’s actually 100 meters, since it was the first step in converting everything to metric (which we appear to have given up on)
Beer and milk are in Pints…but some places now do milk in litres.
Shops must sell loose items in metric, but are also allowed to sell them in imperial
I grew up being taught in both, but was told that metric was the future so not to worry too much about imperial, so I confuse the number of ounces in a pound quite often, amongst other things
Where I work, the vast majority of things are metric…except very old drawings, which sometimes use yards.
Honestly I would prefer we just switch to metric and stay there, but the road sign argument is “cost” and even 20 years ago that was quite valid.
so I confuse the number of ounces in a pound quite often, amongst other things
When do you need to use either of these?
I know the number of pounds in a kilo so I can understand the Americans when they talk about weightlifting and how much people weigh. I don't think I've ever used an ounce in my life.
When do you need to use either of these?
Old recipe books
If you look up cooking or baking recipes and get American ones you'll see oz a lot, I have found
Baking is a big one yes. Not just American recipes - old British ones too. And there are various useful estimations you can use too; one egg is about an ounce. Three ounces each of flour, sugar, butter plus three eggs makes a pretty good Victoria sponge which fits nicely in a 12cm baking tin.
The madness continues
Do car speedometers have miles/h or km/h?
Both
Often both! Miles on the outside as the main display, but km can be found on a smaller inner ring
There really is an xkcd for everything.
Yeah, sure, but how many bananas is a step ?
There bananas and four kiwis.
3 Ba \ 4 Ki