Re: off topic Question of the day..
On 2016-07-16, Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday 16 July 2016 04:48:11 John Hasler wrote:
>> Dennis writes:
>> > BTW: one inch now equals 2.54 cm *exactly*, in case you haven't been
>> > keeping up! (Used to be approx 2.54 cm.) This is what I mean by
>> > arbitrary. Don't like the conversion ratio? Then just change it!
>>
>> It wasn't a change in conversion ratio. It was change in definition.
>> Originally US length measures were defined by a physical standard
>> derived from the British yard such that the inch worked out to close to
>> 2.54cm. In 1893 the inch was defined as 2.54cm and BIPM-supplied meter
>> and kilogram standards became the official US measurement standards. It
>> took until 1930 for the Brits to catch up.
>
> Not quite accurate, though sufficiently jingoistic.
Give 'em an inch ...
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inch
>
> Lisi
>
>
--
Même l’avenir n’est plus ce qu’il était.
Paul Valéry
Reply to: