In Defense of the Metric System Part 2

How many of you know that in 1999, a "metric mishap" caused NASA to lose a 125 million dollar Mars orbiter? It's true! One team used the Metric System to record their data and measurements, while another team used the Imperial System (the system we use in America). It's stupid that such a simple mistake was allowed to happen and cost us 125 million dollars. If only we weren't so stubborn, and would just convert to the Metric System, mistakes like this wouldn't happen.

However, since I don't see that happening in the near future, it'd probably be a good idea to learn how to convert our units into the Metric System! (Just in case you ever find yourself working on a Mars orbiter!) We'll start with length which is quite easier. You simply need to know that 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. This should allow you to be able to switch between the two, although it might be a pain converting up or down to inches and centimeters. An easy conversion factor for volume is 1 milliliter equals .61 inches cubed. An nice one to remember for mass is 1 kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. These are just a few of the many conversions you may need, visit this conversion calculator to get the hang of the conversion factors.

If you're interested in how different measurement systems got their start, check out the video below!