Imperial Measures
 

Hi, ive just read on BBC website that to mark the Queens Platinum Jubilee, theres going to be some announcement about reverting back to Imperial units. I hope this will only be a symbolic gesture and not a real full reversal of our partial metrication. As an ex maths teacher i know how much a full reversal will affect the national curriculum. It would have to be re written for mathematics and im sure kids would find it so much harder to deal with. Ive heard of muttering about this before, i suppose it fits into the idea of taking back control after Brexit.

It's a review:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/61621893

And:

The UK copied the law over when it left the EU to smooth its exit, but the review will now look at how, if at all, the regulation should change.

The BBC understands there is not expected to be any move away from metric units.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Oh I think there's going to be a change on which side of the road we drive on. From 1st Jan 2024 m/cycles, cars and light vans will be required to change over. 1st if April it will be vehicles up to 7.5 tons (not tonnes). Then if all goes well, all vehicles including hgvs, coaches and busses.

Is imperial taught in schools?
Some of us oldies flit between metric and imperial. Sometimes I prefer using imperial, sometimes I prefer using metric, depends on what I am measuring.

macafee2

My eldest daughter (born 1973) went to a new school nearby, just opened. The Junior school headmaster (sadly now passed away) was a fantastic teacher, and I always remember one of his statements.
I can't remember his actual words, but he had the following belief.
Metric measurements were easy to calculate, being all 10x. But imperial measurements made us better at maths. We had to learn not just the 10x table but many others as well.
For instance: 3x (ft/yds), 12x (in/ft, & d/shilling), 8x (half crown/£, furlong/mile), 16x (oz/lb) - I could go on. We just got on with it, and understood what we were doing. She learnt both and can cope, but agreed with his belief.

Theres more rigor using imperial units, metric much easier to manipulate. Forgetting history and politics, metric is the way to go.

Metric is used in school mathematics teaching. In other subjects teachers can use what they like.

Hopefully someone will see sense and advise BoJo against. I seemed to recall that there was some talk of a bank holiday to celebrate Brexit, that seemed to disappear, you never know, it could come back again.

I tend to use what's the most convenient, if its something like 1½" I'll use that but if its something awkward in inches I'll use MM.

My younger builder brother wouldn't let me anywhere near a tape measure when I used to give him a lift on jobs that needed two pair of hands :D I still use imperial & £ s d too to wind him up :eek::D:p:


Speaking of the imperial system My plumber mate had to get some imperial to metric couplings when he replaced two central heating radiators the other week.


We have lead mains water pipe coming into the house from the street which changes to imperial pipework halfway up the wall to the bedrooms which then goes back to lead pipework :eek: then back to imperial pipework then back to metric pipework in some rooms :eek::D:p:
Talk about a mishmash, the thing is nothing leaks so I ain't replacing it.

You have lead? I would have thought the water company would change that to probably plastic free of charge if you asked them or is it your responsibility?

macafee2