peatle wrote:It's only easy to divide a foot by three or six because they are the easy divisions that are commonly chosen for that unit because they are what work well with it. If you are working in metres then you choose accordingly. Try dividing a foot by 2.5 or 5.
Ask 10 people to show you a Yard and how many different results would you get ?
You could be right about the yard, it is rather close to a metre...
But about the division, in metric 5 represents half and 2.5 represents a quarter. You're right, it slightly harder to divide twelve by those numbers, but not the same relative values (6 and 3). The point I am making is that imperial lends itself much more easily to proportional divisions other than half and quarter - like thirds - which in and of themselves open up a whole new world of proportions.
I couldn't agree more that metric is well suited to scientific applications where quantities are generally far more abstract, but with the building profession I can see why so many people cling to imperial because it is based on an average male's anatomy. People can relate to it in a concrete manner more easily. (He||, I say bring back the cubit, the hand and the stone as units of measure!
)
(And allow me a pre-emptive strike... there is no need for anyone to interject here with the tasteless joke about a woman's inaccurate sense of length with regard to the male anatomy statement.)
Furthermore there is
NOTHING in the world as perfect and well balanced as a pint! ...except maybe a second and third...
Sorry for hijacking your thread Yien.
