Seth1483 wrote:yes well we americans are idiots i mean look at us we have measurements based on 8... 8 i mean how idiotic is that i mean which is easier to count by 10's (metric) or 8's (U.S. custom)?
So which one is based on 8? 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, 4 cups in a quart, 4 quarts in a gallon, 12 inches in a foot, 5280 feet in a mile.
Just so everyone is aware the official measure for length and weight in the United States has been the metric system since 1893. In 1875, the United States solidified its commitment to the development of the internationally recognized metric system by becoming one of the original seventeen signatory nations to the Treaty of the Meter.
Source
http://www.nist.gov/ts/wmd/metric/upload/1136a.pdf
Also so everyone is aware, there is a difference between something that is official and something that is common.