Units of Measurement

The pool balls don't seem to be of uniform size either... Very inconsistent.

I think this will appeal to houses containing "children" with curious minds. Also, how many pool balls are there to one bowling ball?
 
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I'm not sure this really belongs in this thread, but it's too good to lose it on the interweb.

Screenshot_20240621-230226.gif
 
I really do get the idea of using some of these descriptions rather than standard units and "the stretched-out cat" is actually a good one, if you ever owned a cat. It would have made more sense during the Covid-19 Lockdowns if they had told you to stand the distance of a 'stretched out cat' away rather than the use of the short statured man that I saw used.

However, when you use large multiples of the "thing", it defeats the whole object of using it. If someone told me something was 980 'stretched-out cats' away that means nothing to me. And everyone probably knows the area of a Football pitch or the approximate height of a standard double decker bus, but they have no idea how large 980 Football pitches are or how high 980 double decker buses are.

www.bbc.co.uk

Needingworth Quarry's wetland project passed halfway point

The reserve will grow to the size of nearly 980 football pitches when work finishes in 10 years.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
Dave said:
I really do get the idea of using some of these descriptions rather than standard units and "the stretched-out cat" is actually a good one, if you ever owned a cat. It would have made more sense during the Covid-19 Lockdowns if they had told you to stand the distance of a 'stretched out cat' away rather than the use of the short statured man that I saw used.

However, when you use large multiples of the "thing", it defeats the whole object of using it. If someone told me something was 980 'stretched-out cats' away that means nothing to me. And everyone probably knows the area of a Football pitch or the approximate height of a standard double decker bus, but they have no idea how large 980 Football pitches are or how high 980 double decker buses are.

www.bbc.co.uk

Needingworth Quarry's wetland project passed halfway point

The reserve will grow to the size of nearly 980 football pitches when work finishes in 10 years.
www.bbc.co.uk
Click to expand...
How about fractions? Like 1/10th of a Fiat.
 
Swank said:
How about fractions? Like 1/10th of a Fiat.
Click to expand...
I think the size of one loaf of bread would be a better description for such an object. Two times or three times, someone can easily imagine that, and the same with a half or a third* but when you reach double digit figures (and certainly the x980 that I mentioned) then less so.

*Fractions seem to be problematic for many people. I read something where some research had shown many people thought that 1/3 was smaller than 1/4 because many people** simply don't understand fractions and think the smaller number means it is a smaller amount.

**I know this is a lack of or poor education, but I am talking about the general population here, not the level of education of most SFF Chrons members.
 
What a dull baker you must have if all the bread they sell is the same size.
My baker has many different styles of bread, with different sizes, and for several of the types of bread the loaves are of infinitely (I exaggerate perhaps) differing lengths, which you then buy by weight.

(And let's not start getting into units of weight, please. "Can I have a Lodeve loaf, weighing 1.24 tabby cats please.)
 
Dave said:
I really do get the idea of using some of these descriptions rather than standard units and "the stretched-out cat" is actually a good one, if you ever owned a cat. It would have made more sense during the Covid-19 Lockdowns if they had told you to stand the distance of a 'stretched out cat' away rather than the use of the short statured man that I saw used.

However, when you use large multiples of the "thing", it defeats the whole object of using it. If someone told me something was 980 'stretched-out cats' away that means nothing to me. And everyone probably knows the area of a Football pitch or the approximate height of a standard double decker bus, but they have no idea how large 980 Football pitches are or how high 980 double decker buses are.

www.bbc.co.uk

Needingworth Quarry's wetland project passed halfway point

The reserve will grow to the size of nearly 980 football pitches when work finishes in 10 years.
www.bbc.co.uk
Click to expand...

I have absolutely no idea what size a football pitch is. Football pitches can vary wildly. Assuming 'football' to be what the Americans call soccer -and not American Football or Australian Rules Football (which is not played on a rectangular pitch but on an oval one) here's a page full of different pitch sizes suitable for whichever version of football (soccer) you want to play:.

Football Pitch Sizes For 5, 7, 9 & 11-A-Side | Net World Sports

Our comprehensive football pitch size guide covers 5, 7, 9 and 11-a-side football pitch dimensions & markings. Find out how big football pitches should be here!
www.networldsports.co.uk www.networldsports.co.uk
 
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