US customary units vs. the rest of the world ( metric system)

America is strange land for many, but from the very first moments on American soil, the units of measurement are something that is exceptionally surprising! Feet, inch, miles, pounds, Fahrenheit degrees . Nothing stands together here. It does not make any sense to a person, who is used to using centimeters, meters, kilograms, or Celsius degrees, on daily basis.. what do you mean there is no metric system here..?

In Europe, everything is logical, we have millimeters, 10mm is 1cm, 100cm is 1m and so on. Here, the smallest measure of length is an inch. If we need to enter a size smaller than an inch, e.g., a few mm, we will have to divide an inch into: 1/16, 1/8/ ¼ and so on…. Plain madness!. Logically , you would think that is at least 10 inches is a foot. Well, gotcha again! A foot is actually 12 inches!! So, there is only one question that is comes to everybody’s mind… what the hell is this??

How come America has this strange system??

Here in USA , since it was formalized in 1832, United States customary units (U.S. customary units) are a system of measurements commonly used all over the country.

The United States customary system (USCS or USC) was originally developed from English units which were in use in the British Empire, long before before the U.S. became a fully independent country. The United Kingdom’s system of measures itself was updated in 1824 to create the imperial system, which was officially adopted in 1826. He change was needed to keep up with the industrial revolution, and quickly growing trade with the rest of Europe, that was using the Metric system. So, for the United Kingdom, it was more of a business decision.

Well, here in America the system did not changed. The Americans kept their measurements separate , from the rest of the Old world. Industrial revolution here, and the economic growth were measured in miles, pounds, and Fahrenheit’s.

While we find the measurement system familiar in almost every place of the world. The interesting fact is, that is only three countries continue to use, this old English system of measurement: The United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. So, what is the rest of the world using?

The END of the metric system dream!

Over the years , lots of voices has been raised to bring the metric system to America and convert all thee units.
In 1916 the Metric Association, formed a Non-Profit organization, advocating publicly the change of the measurement system.
In 1968 a 3-year study was founded by the government, to determine the impact of the measurements change, and metric use on the US territory. After it was finish, and the results published, it was announced that is it will take about 10 years, for the full conversion.
In 1975 the US Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975! The US Metric board was created to supervised and coordinate the plan of increasing usage of metric system.
The Metric Board was abolished in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan. He cut the funding to the program, and by this it kill completely the plan of changing the measurement system in the US.

The Metric System

In opposition to America, the rest of the world uses what is known as the metric system, which is a decimal-based system that uses units that are related by factors of ten. While many Americans are unfamiliar with the metric system, it is a much simpler system to use in terms of the math required for basic calculations and it avoids unnecessary units for volume.

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM
1 milimeter	mm	=0,1cm=0,01dm=0,001m=0,000001km
1 centimeter	cm	=10mm=0,1dm=0,01m=0,00001km
1 decimeter	dm	=100mm=10cm=0,1m=0,0001km
1 meter	m	=1000mm=100cm=10dm=0,001km
1 kilometer	km	=1000000mm=100000cm=10000dm=1000m

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM
1 milligram	mg	=0,001 g
1 gram	g	=1000 mg = 0,1 dag = 0,001 kg
1 dekagram	dag	=10 g = 0,01 kg
1 kilogram	kg	= 100 dag = 1000 g
1 quintal	q	=100 kg
1 ton	t	=1000 kg

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM
1 square millimeter	mm2	=0.000001 m2
1 square centimeter	cm2	=0.0001 m2
1 square decimeter	dm2	=0.01 m2
1 square meter	m2	=10000 cm2 = 0.01a
1 acre	a	=100 m2
1 square decameter	dam2	=100m2 = 1a
1 hectare	ha	=100a = 10000m2
1 square hectometer	hm2	=10000m2 = 1ha
1 square kilometer	km2	=1000000m2

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM
1 picolitre	pl	=0.0000000000001L =0.0000000000000001m3
1 milliliter	ml	=0.001l = 0.000001m3
1 cubic centimeter	cm3	=0.000001m3 = 1ml
1 liter	l	=0.0001m3 = 1000cm3
1 cubic decimeter	dm3	=0.001m3 = 1l
1 cubic meter	m3	=1000l = 0.001dm3
1 cubic kilometer	km3	=1000000000m3

US Customary Units

And now the elephant in the room. I live here for quite some time, but still, till this day, there are measurements, especially when I am cooking, that is makes me stop and think how much exactly that is.

MASS & WEIGHT:

There have historically been five different English systems of mass: tower, apothecaries’, troy, avoirdupois, and metric. Of these, the avoirdupois weight is the most common system used in the U.S., although Troy weight is still used to weigh precious metals. Apothecaries weight—once used by pharmacies—has been largely replaced by metric measurements.

Avoirdupois*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 stone	st	=0.14 short hundredweight =14 pounds	=6.35 kilograms
1 grain	gr	=0.037 dram =0.002286 ounce	=0.0648 gram
1 dram	dr, or dr avdp	=27.344 grains =0.0625 ounce	=1.772 grams
1 ounce	oz, or oz avdp	=16 drams =437.5 grains =0.0625 pound	=28.350 grams
1pound	lb, lb avdp, or #	=16 ounces =7,000 grains	=0.454 kilogram
1 long hundredweight	used in USA	=112 pounds =0.05 long ton	=50.802 kilograms
1 short hundredweight	Imperial system	=100 pounds =0.05 short ton	=45.359 kilograms
1 hundredweight	cwt
1 long ton	used in USA	=20 long hundredweight =2,240 pounds	=1.016 metric tons
1 short ton	Imperial system	=20 short hundredweight =2,000 pounds	=0.907 metric ton
1 ton

Troy*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 grain	gr	=0.042 pennyweight =0.002083 ounce	=0.0648 gram
1 pennyweight	dwt, or pwt	=24 grains =0.05 ounce	=1.555 gram
1 ounce	oz t	=20 pennyweight =480 grains =0.083 pound	=31.103 grams
1 pound	lb t	=12 ounces =240 pennyweight =5,760 grains	=0.373 kilogram

Apothecaries’*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 grain	gr	=0.05 scruple =0.002083 ounce =0.0166 dram	=0.0648 gram
1 scruple	d ap	=20 grains =0.333 dram	=1.296 grams
1 dram	dr ap	=3 scruples =60 grains	=3.888 grams
1 ounce	oz ap	=8 drams =480 grains =0.083 pound	=31.103 grams
1 pound	lb ap	=12 ounces =5,760 grains	=0.373 kilogram

LENGHT:

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 inch	in or “	0.083 foot, or 0.028 yard	2.54 centimetres
1 foot	ft or ‘	12 inches, or 0.333 yard	30.48 centimetres
1 yard	yd	3 feet, or 36 inches	0.9144 meter
1 fathom	fth	6 feet, or 72 inches	1.829 metres
1 rod	rd	5.50 yards, or 16.5 feet	5.029 metres
1 furlong	fur	660 feet, 220 yards, or 1/8 mile	201 metres
1 mile	mi	5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or 320 rods	1,609 metres, or 1.609 kilometres
1 nautical mile	nmi	6,076 feet, or 1.151 miles	1,852 metres or 1.852 kilometers

AREA:

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 square inch	sq in, or in²	=0.0069 square foot =0.00077 square yard	=6.452 square centimeters
1 square foot	sq ft, or ft²	=144 square inches =0.111 square yard	=0.093 square meter
1 square yard	sq yd, or yd2	=1,296 square inches =9 square feet	=0.836 square meter
1 square rod	sq rd, or rd²	=30.25 square yards =0.00625 acre	=25.293 square meters
1 acre		=4,840 square yards =43,560 square feet	=0.405 hectare =4,047 square meters
1 square mile	sq mi, or mi²	=640 acres =102,400 square rods	=2.590 square kilometers

VOLUME:

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 cubic inch	cu in	=0.00058 cubic foot =0.000021 cubic yard	=16.387 cubic centimeters
1 cubic foot	cu ft	=1,728 cubic inches =0.0370 cubic yard	=0.028 cubic meter
1 cubic yard	cu yd	=27 cubic feet =46,656 cubic inches	=0.765 cubic meter
1 cord	cd	=128 cubic feet	=3.62 cubic meters
1 board foot	bd ft	=144 cubic inches =1/12 cubic foot	=2.36 liters
1 acre foot	acre ft	=43,560 cubic feet =1,613 cubic yards	=1.233 cubic meters

CAPACITY:

U.S. liquid measures*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 minim	min	=1/60 fluid dram	=0.061610 milliliter
1 fluid dram	fl dr	=60 minims	=3.697 milliliters
1 fluid ounce	fl oz	=8 fluid drams	=29.573 milliliters
1 gill	gi	= 4 fluid ounces	=118.294 milliliters
1 pint	pt	=4 gills	=0.473 liter
1 quart	qt	=2 pints	=0.946 liter
1 gallon	gal	=4 quarts	=3.785 liters

U.S. dry measures*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 pint	pt	=1/2 quart	=0.551 liter
1 quart	qt	=2 pints	=1.101 liters
1 peck	pc	=8 quarts	=8.810 liters
1 bushel	bu	=4 pecks	=35.239 liters

British liquid and dry measures*

UNIT	SYMBOL	EQUIVALENT IN OTHER UNITS, THE SAME SYSTEM	METRIC SYSTEM
1 minim	min	=1/60 fluid dram	=0.059194 cubic centimeter
1 fluid dram	fl dr	=60 minims	=3.5516 cubic centimeters
1 fluid ounce	fl oz	=8 fluid drams	=28.412 cubic centimeters
1 gill	gi	=5 fluid ounces	=142.066 cubic centimeters
1 pint	pt	=4 gills	=568.26 cubic centimeters
1 quart	qt	=2 pints	=1.136 liters
1 gallon	gal	=4 quarts	=4.546 listres
1 peck	pc	=2 gallons	=0.0091 cubic meter
1 bushel	bu	=4 pecks	=0.036 cubic meter

BAKING & COOKING MEASUREMENTS:


1 drop	dr., gt., gtt. (plural)	= 1/96tsp = 1/576 fl oz	=0.0513429 ml
1 smidgen	smdg or smi	= 1 pinch = 1/32tsp =1/256 fl oz	=0.115522 ml
1 pinch	pn	=2 smidgens =1/16tsp = 1/128 fl oz	=0.231043 ml
1 dash	ds	=2 pinches = 1/8 tsp = 1/64 fl oz	=0.462086 ml
1 saltspoon or scruple	ssp	=2 dashes = 1/4 tsp = 1/32 fl oz	=0.924173 ml
1 coffeespoon	scp	=2 saltspoons =1/2 tsp =1/16 fl oz	=1.84835 ml
1 fluid dram	fl dr	=2 coffeespoons = 3/4 tsp =1/8 fl oz	=3.69669 ml
1 teaspoon	t or tsp	=1/3 Tbsp = 1/4 fl oz	5 ml
1 tablespoon	T or Tbsp	=2 tsp =1/16 cup – 1/2 fl oz	=15 ml
dessertspoon/ 2 tablespoons	T or Tbsp or dsp., dssp. or dstspn.	=2 tsp = 1/3 fl oz	=30 ml
1/4 cup	c	=2 fluid ounces = 12 tsp = 4Tbsp = 1/8 lb = 2 oz	=60 ml
1/3 cup	c	=16 tsp = 5 tbsp. + 1 tsp. = 5 1/3 Tbsp 1/6lb. = 2 2/3 oz = 2.7 fl oz	=80 ml
1/2 cup	c	=4 fluid ounces = 24 tsp = 4oz = 8Tbsp =1/4lb.	=125 ml
2/3 cup	c	=23 tsp = 10. tbsp. + 2 tsp =10.6Tbsp = 5.3 fl oz	=160 ml
3/4 cup	c	=6 fluid ounces = 36 tsp = 12Tbsp =6oz =4/8lb. = 6oz	=180 ml
wineglass	wgf	=1/4 cup =2 fl oz	=59.1471 ml
gill or teacup	tcf	=1/2 cup = 4 fl oz	=118.294 ml
1 cup	c	=8 fluid ounces =1/2 pint = 8 ounces = 48 tsp = 16Tbsp	=250 ml
1 ½ cup	c	=12 fluid ounces =12 ounces	=375 ml
2 cups	c	=1 pint =16 fluid ounces =16 ounces	=500 ml
3 cups	c	=1 ½ pints =24 ounces	700 ml
4 cups	c	=2 pints =1 quart= 32 ounces	950 ml
4 quarts	qt	=1 gallon	3.8 L
1 ounce	oz	=6 fl tsp	=28 gram
1/4 pound	lb.	=4 ounces =23tsp = 7.67Tbsp	=113 gram
1/3 pound	lb.	=5.33 oz = 30.6tsp = 10.67Tbsp	=150 gram
1/2 pound	lb.	8 ounces = 46tsp = 15.34Tbsp	=230 gram
2/3 pound	lb.	=10.67 oz = 61.2 tsp =21.34Tbps	=302.4 gram
3/4 pound	lb.	12 ounces = 69tsp =23.01 Tbsp	=340.1 gram
1 pound	lb.	16 ounces = 92.02tsp =32Tbsp	450 gram
1 cup	c	=1/2 pint = 8 fl oz = 8 oz =8 ounces = 48 tsp = 16Tbsp	=250 grams = 250 milliliters
1 pint	pt	= 2 cups = 16 ounces	=500 mL
1 quart	qt	=2 pints = 4 cups = 32 ounces	=1 liter = 1000 ml
1 pottle	pot	=2 quarts = 64 fl oz	=1892.71 ml
1 gallon	gal	=2 quarts = 4 pints =	=3.8L = 3800ml

TEMPERATURE:

FARENHEIT TO CELSIUS

32°F 0°C

200°F 94°C

300°F 149°C

325°F 163°C

350°F 177°C

375°F 190°C

400°F 205°C

425°F 220°C

450°F 233°C

475°F 246°C

500°F 260°C

The relationship between the different temperature scales is linear but the scales have different zero points, so conversion is not simply multiplication by a factor. Pure water freezes at 32 °F = 0 °C and boils at 212 °F = 100 °C $[^{\circ }{\text{F}}]={\tfrac {9}{5}}[^{\circ }{\text{C}}]+32$