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The beauty of metric system is in its simplicity. No matter which ratio you want, you can easily calculate the proper approximation, with necessary precision. I
by avmich 3y ago
The beauty of metric system is in its simplicity. No matter which ratio you want, you can easily calculate the proper approximation, with necessary precision. If you want, you can also precisely call that ratio - just name the numerator and denominator, if you so insist on precision - in practice in all blueprints authors understand the precision and stop at some decimal digit.
- rhelz 3y ago// Just name the numerator and denominator // OK, I name the numerator as 1 and the denominator as 3. Viz, I want to be able to cut a piece of wood which is 1/3rd of a meter long. Still no line on the meter stick for that. Sure, in any base, in any system of units, there will be ratios you need to resort to sig-figs, etc to represent. But that is not an advantage of metric--it a common disadvantage to everybody. What makes it particularly pressing is that 1/3rd is actually a very common ratio. As far as I know, the metric system is the first and only system which does not let you easily divide your unit of length into thirds. A yard is 3 feet. A cubit is 3 shaftments. And inch is 3 barleycorns. Anybody with three kids and a yard-long string of licorice appreciates the fact that there are marks on the yardstick letting you quickly, easily, and fairly divide the candy, before the kids go berserk waiting for you to tally up how many digits you need.