see wrote:
Quandary wrote:
I honestly have trouble with the exact relation between cup, pint, quart, etc.
Bah, liquid volume is the place where American measures are the most advanced in the world! They're pre-adapted for the computer age by being binary!
0b100 drams = 1 tablespoon
0b1000 drams = 1 ounce
ob100000 drams = 1 gill
0b1000000 drams = 1 cup
0b10000000 drams = 1 pint
0b100000000 drams = 1 quart
0b10000000000 drams = 1 gallon
Look at all those nice round numbers! Converting units is all just bit-shift operations, instead of all the complicated steps you have to take to multiply and divide by ten with binary logic!
Okay, things do move to failure mode when you deal with (non-oil) barrels (31.5 gallons) and hogsheads (63 gallons). Obviously those should be moved to 32 and 64 respectively. And there are a few odd liquid measure units based on 3s. But it's a heck of a lot more computer-friendly than those lunatic SI measures that are based, not on simple logic, but the evolutionary accident of most humans having ten fingers.
That's why, when the computers take over, the only humans they'll let live are Americans.
I have to say, I never saw half the measurements you guys are showing in this thread. I think before this thread I have only heard about foots, miles, yards, and gallons...