We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Jaguar Land Rover to cut up to 5,000 jobs
Comments
-
What's a "gallon", Grandad? I'm only in my late 40s, so I only do metric.
In The Olden Days (when everything was better
) we measured liquid in many ways, but 20 fluid ounces = 1 pint, 8 pints = 1 gallon was the main one. (btw, 1 fluid oz of water weighs 1 oz, so "a pint of water weighs a pound and a quarter", a gallon weighs 10lb)
Somehow, we "metricated" and instead of going for S.I. when volume would be in m3, we invented the litre, which was a way of short changing the public, as what used to be a pint became a "half litre" and instead of 4.5 litre cans of oil we ,moved to 4 litres*, in both cases charging the same (if not more) than the old measure.
Pop into Farmfoods for your milk: 2 litres is £1, Tesco sell 4 pints for £1.09, which is cheaper as 4 pints is 2.27 litres, but most people think it is more expensive.
*there was a brief period when 5 litre cans replaced the gallon, but not now.I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....
(except air quality and Medical Science
)0 -
when volume would be in m3, we invented the litre, which was a way of short changing the public
"How big's that oil bottle?"
"0.005 m3"
Mmm... No, can't quite see why there's any need for the litre, you're right.0 -
I know the British (and especially we Scots) invented almost everything, but we can't claim the litre. It's been around since the French revolutionary government adopted metrication in 1799.Somehow, we "metricated" and instead of going for S.I. when volume would be in m3, we invented the litre, which was a way of short changing the public, as what used to be a pint became a "half litre" and instead of 4.5 litre cans of oil we ,moved to 4 litres*, in both cases charging the same (if not more) than the old measure.
It's also in everyday use in the rest of the world, unlike the cubic metre.0 -
[quote=[Deleted User];75307011]I know the British (and especially we Scots) invented almost everything, but we can't claim the litre. It's been around since the French revolutionary government adopted metrication in 1799.[/quote]
I wonder how many Dibnahphiles realise that the basis for SI and metrication was laid by a Brit? John Wilkins, a 17th century clergyman, philosopher, and one of the founders of the Royal Society - one of the few people to have been head of a college at both Oxford and Cambridge.
The metric system has been both extant and broadly unchanged for longer than most of the UK's "traditional" measures, too - the gallon was officially rationalised in the UK from three different-sized official definitions (wine gallon, 3.79l; corn gallon, 4.4l; ale gallon, 4.6l) to a single, of a fourth different size ("imperial gallon", 4.54l) in 1824. The US chose one of the existing three.
The cubic metre is in "everyday use". Different units for different purposes.It's also in everyday use in the rest of the world, unlike the cubic metre.
Just one commonplace use: https://www.cemex.co.uk/concretecalculator.aspx0 -
We should have used cubic decimetres dm3, (or even cm3) there is no real need for litres. 1000cm3 = 1dm3, 1000dm3 = 1m3 (1dm3 = 1 litre)I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....
(except air quality and Medical Science)0 -
How big's the engine in your car?
1598 cc. Sounds bigger than 97 cubic inches. (Never bothered the Americans though, a 427 is the engine to have in your Ford)
However, if it had been 2000cc, I suppose I'd have said 2 litres, but that is just environmental conditioning.I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....
(except air quality and Medical Science)0 -
You've never heard anybody call "1598cc" 1.6 litre?0
-
In all seriousness, not usually. I would have called it a "sixteen hundred" if I hadn't been pedantic and looked it up.
For some odd reason, they refer to engines as 1000, 11 hundred, 13 hundred, one point four, 15 hundred, 16 hundred, two litre, two point five, 3 litre, three point five, four two, (only with a unit where shown) I wonder why?
Maybe it is that odd thing of we can say one four seven or one hundred and forty seven at different times and we seem to "know" which.I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....
(except air quality and Medical Science)0 -
Who's "they"? Manufacturer marketing departments when it comes to sticking a badge on the back? You're in for a shock when you look at what's behind the "engine size" badges on BMW/Merc/Audi these days...
Most average people on the street would be quite happy that "a thousand" and "one litre" are the same thing, and use the two interchangeably.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 353.4K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455K Spending & Discounts
- 246.5K Work, Benefits & Business
- 602.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178K Life & Family
- 260.5K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards