Topics include, Machine Tools & Tooling, Precision Measuring, Materials and their Properties, Electrical discussions related to machine tools, setups, fixtures and jigs and other general discussion related to amateur machining.
pete wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 3:57 pm
Lol, I was thinking to myself exactly the same when I made that post.
But this sort of proves it's better to stick with the measurement system your most familiar with since it reduces the chances of simple mistakes. NASA even learned that with trying to land one of there expensive probes inside a planet instead of onto it.
That's my posture in this matter. The notion that one system is better than another depends greatly on the level of comfort by which one is used. It would have been VERY unusual for me to have made that degree of error (in my comments, above) if I had been discussing only imperial units.
As far as I'm concerned, go with the devil you know.
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
pete wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 3:57 pm
Lol, I was thinking to myself exactly the same when I made that post.
But this sort of proves it's better to stick with the measurement system your most familiar with since it reduces the chances of simple mistakes. NASA even learned that with trying to land one of there expensive probes inside a planet instead of onto it.
That's my posture in this matter. The notion that one system is better than another depends greatly on the level of comfort by which one is used. It would have been VERY unusual for me to have made that degree of error (in my comments, above) if I had been discussing only imperial units.
As far as I'm concerned, go with the devil you know.
H
Exactly there is no "better" just what you are used to.
A good example is the base 10 number system. We think it is easier just because we are used to moving the decimal place every power of ten, but if you grew up using binary, hexadecimal or octal then changing places at 10 would be strange to you.
It actually amazes me that different cultures came up with different measuring units yet we all seem to have independently adopted the decimal system.
I guess it could have something to do with ten fingers but then why did one culture not adopt the vigesimal number system (base 20)
There are reasons to use use different bases such as
12 packing 10 eggs 2 x 5 was not practical before the manufacture of eggs cartons. a 3 x 4 or a 4 x 4 boxing is more practical
A dozen has better fractional options 1/2, 1/3,1/4, 2/3, and 3/4 of a dozen are all integer, very useful when dealing with eggs or loaves of bread.
Dividing the circle by 6 is easy then dividing each sextant by 2 and so on is easier than dividing the circle by 5, hence the sessagesimale system.
These are unique situation though.
10 is common number in biology, many mammals have 5 digits and sea stars have 5 arms.
But we digress
atunguyd wrote: ↑Sun Dec 05, 2021 11:27 am
...
I guess it could have something to do with ten fingers but then why did one culture not adopt the vigesimal number system (base 20)