The Complete Guide to Understanding Metric vs Imperial Measurements

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Are you in the middle of a project, faced with questions about metric versus imperial measurements? Or maybe you simply want to learn more about these two commonly used measurement systems. We have the complete guide for you! From discussing each system’s history to its individual uses and applications, this comprehensive guide will provide an in-depth look at both Metric and Imperial Measurement Systems. With this information, you’ll be able to make quick conversions or identify measurements– no matter which type they are written as!

What Is the Imperial System?

The Imperial system is a system of measurement that is very well-known to be used by the United States of America, although this wasn’t always the case. The Imperial system was used by the United Kingdom until 1824, after which they began using the metric system.

The reason the United States uses the Imperial system is that the United States Customary System is based on British Imperial units. In case you are wondering why the US continues to use this system of measurement, it’s because it would take a lot of time and money to switch systems of measurement, especially since all industries in the US use it.

What Is the Metric System?

The metric system has quite an interesting history, but to answer what it is, it is also a system of measurement and is used in most countries around the world. The origin of the system took place in 1795 in France.

At the time, thousands of various systems of measurement were being used, and the government needed the aid of scientists to create a system that would unify a country. In terms of where the measurement of a meter came from, it’s the measurement of one-ten-millionth of the quadrant of Earth’s circumference running from the North Pole to the equator, through Paris.

How To Convert

Now that you have a better understanding of what the Imperial and metric systems are, you most likely would like to know how to convert. Many websites can help with this, such as this one, or even Google. However, a simple conversion would be that 1 inch is equal to 2.54 cm., and 1 cm is equal to 0.39 inches.

In terms of other measurements, 1 liter is equal to 1 US quart, and 1 milliliter is equal to 0.034 fluid ounces. 1 gram is equal to 0.035 ounces of weight, and 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. When working with the metric system, 10s, 100s, and 1,000s are important. For example, 10 millimeters is equal to 1 cm, and 100 centimeters is equal to 1 meter, whereas 1,000 meters is 1 kilometer. In terms of weight, the process is similar; 1,000 milligrams is 1 gram, and 1,000 grams is 1 kilogram.

As you can see, the process of converting between measurements in the metric system is much more straightforward than in the imperial system.

Countries That Use the Metric System

As mentioned above, the metric system is one of the most popular systems of measurement in the world due to the fact that it is easy to convert. Some countries that use the metric system include:

  • India
  • France
  • South Africa
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • Spain
  • Mexico
  • Japan
  • United Kingdom

Not all countries use the metric system, and not all use the Imperial system; some use their system of measurement.

Countries That Use the Imperial System

Since the Imperial system is rather difficult to work with, there aren’t too many countries that use it. For example, as of right now, countries such as the United States of America, Myanmar, and Liberia use the system. They are the only three countries in the world that do.

In terms of why these three countries are the only countries to use the Imperial system and why other countries changed, it can be linked back to the industrial revolution. Imagine all of the factories that were being constructed and all of the workers needing to use the same system of measurement for products being created en masse. Naturally, once the system of measurement was chosen, there was a feasible way of going back.