If, like me, you are a regular viewer and fan of QI, the BBC’s long-running “Quite Interesting” trivia game show, you are probably frustrated by the seemingly random choice of measurement units that the programme uses to convey the sizes of things. Viewers are expected to be familiar with a whole host of units that haven’t been taught in schools for more than 50 years.
Category: Education
“How many what?!”
There is a new board game, about measurement, called “How Many What?!”. Or rather it is about describing the size of things without the benefit of a universal measurement system.
The game’s blurb says, “Some people will use anything but the metric system to measure things! How Many What?! is the ridiculous party game of absurd comparisons.”
Prince Albert and the measurement muddle in the 1860s
165 years ago, in his opening address at the London meeting of the International Statistical Congress, held on 16 July 1860, Prince Albert drew attention to the measurement muddle prevalent at the time, and was in no doubt that the muddle would have to go.
Words from his speech were included in the 1862 Report From The Select Committee On Weights And Measures, dated 15 July 1862.
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Report on Measure for Measure Conference
Martin Vlietstra attended the St Cross Centre for the History and Philosophy of Physics (HAPP) one-day conference in Oxford on Saturday 7 June 2025 and has written a report about the conference for Metric Views.
Continue reading “Report on Measure for Measure Conference”How did campaigners for the metric system get their message across 120 years ago?
120 years ago, in addition to the activities of their members, the Decimal Association made use of pamphlets to make their case for the adoption of the metric system in place of the bewildering array of imperial weights and measures that were in use at the time.
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House of Lords votes in favour of full adoption of the metric system
With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee still fresh in people’s memories, and with a new King on the throne, it is a momentous time in our country’s history as the House of Lords votes unanimously to switch to the sole use of the metric system for all official purposes within a 2-year period.
The vote was undoubtedly influenced by the massive public support recently expressed in favour of the metric system.
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Too many take the easy way out when writing metric symbols
Following the previous article about the limited impact of UKMA’s Metric Style Guide and the widespread mistakes in writing metric symbols, we look at one major source of these mistakes. Too many avoid the use of awkward characters that cannot be found on a standard keyboard and end up writing metric symbols incorrectly.
Continue reading “Too many take the easy way out when writing metric symbols”Metric Style Guide – has it had any effect?
Despite the best efforts of UKMA to promote correct usage, the writing of metric symbols leaves much to be desired. Former UKMA Chair Robin Paice reflects on the impact of the UKMA’s Metric Style Guide since its publication, evaluates other style guides, comments on the teaching of measurement units in schools and makes suggestions for UKMA’s committee to improve the situation.
Continue reading “Metric Style Guide – has it had any effect?”BIPM and OIML issued joint press release and Directors’ message to mark World Metrology Day
20 May 2023 was World Metrology Day, commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875. To mark the occasion, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) issued a joint press release and Directors’ message.
Continue reading “BIPM and OIML issued joint press release and Directors’ message to mark World Metrology Day”Why do so few Britons use kg for body weight?
Britons tend to use grams and kilograms for a lot of things, including cooking recipes, gym equipment, commercial products and retail sales. However, they predominantly use stones and pounds for weighing adults and children and use pounds and ounces for weighing babies. Few use kg despite the fact that the NHS uses kg internally for body weight and BMI calculated by body weight in kg divided by height in metres squared. And despite the large number of everyday basic food products you can find in supermarkets that come in 1 kg packages.
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