Metric versus Imperial System for Diving?

[Diver0001]

Fractions are awesome. My favourite one is -1/12. Exponentials are awesome too, and so are imaginary and complex numbers. And roots. Not the ones you trip over though. Did I mention logarithms?

Following several years of advanced mathematics at university one thing above all others stuck with me.

The number 232 occurs inordinately often in the real world.

If there were one thing in this world that could convince me that we were living in "the matrix" it would be a stranger arriving on my door and asking the question, "do you understand the meaning of 232?"

I would take the red pill.....

R..

 

[Storker]

Following several years of advanced mathematics at university one thing above all others stuck with me.

The number 232 occurs inordinately often in the real world.

Myself, I'm kinda partial to forty-two. That's the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything.

 

[mrdre]

The number 232 occurs inordinately often in the real world.

Myself, I'm kinda partial to forty-two.

----------

We are onto something here And in numerical methods I happen to encounter Euler number all the time. So..

232 + 42 = 274

Euler number * 100 ~ 2.7182 * 100 ~ 272 - almost 274..

We almost found the ultimate question of life.. - need to find the remaining "2"..

 

[Diver0001]

Myself, I'm kinda partial to forty-two. That's the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything.

Only because some creative spirit wrote a very interesting book.

I'm not a mathematician nor a numerologist. In fact, my difficulties in mathematics are substantial...... That said, I've taken more math courses than I care to count... and more than 99% of the human population... (against my will, if I'm honest) but I'm telling you.... 232..

I don't know why but I'm sure I'm not the only one. I've been afraid to post about this before in case I get "beamed up" LOL

R..

 

[Tigerman]

You say 232... I say Faber steel

 

[Storker]

You say 232... I say Faber steel

...which might just as well be 300


--
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Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[DaleC]

You guys crack me up.

Someone said it was intuitive to me because I was used to it. OF COURSE... Just like metric is intuitive to those who are used to that.
That same intuition is also why Al 80's don't confuse me - I can visualize how much gas that is, how long it will last me at various depths and how much I have at different psi.

Yes I could practice metric calculations until they became just as intuitive but then I would be faced with another dilemma: all my friends dive imperial. Now I have to convert them to "my system" or convert my calculations to theirs... again. what's the up side? Will we be better off for all that drama or will we do the exact same dives?

Bottom line. I dive to dive. Not to challenge myself with math problems. Currently, I have the tools to dive. Why would I change? I suspect that agencies still teach imperial in NA because of the same reasons. The instructors speak imperial, the students understand imperial, and in the end, they can dive safely using it. Probably the industry is focused on the small goal of putting people in the water and not taking the leading role in reforming cultural ideology.

And I wouldn't knock the US too much for not facing change. They have been tackling some pretty big issues in the last few years; from same sex marriage, universal health care coverage, immigration reform and privacy concerns in the face of terrorism. Tough, messy issues no matter where you stand, so I give them a pass for not getting all fervent over going "metric".

 

[dfx]

You guys crack me up.

Someone said it was intuitive to me because I was used to it. OF COURSE... Just like metric is intuitive to those who are used to that.
That same intuition is also why Al 80's don't confuse me - I can visualize how much gas that is, how long it will last me at various depths and how much I have at different psi.

Yes I could practice metric calculations until they became just as intuitive but then I would be faced with another dilemma: all my friends dive imperial. Now I have to convert them to "my system" or convert my calculations to theirs... again. what's the up side? Will we be better off for all that drama or will we do the exact same dives?

Bottom line. I dive to dive. Not to challenge myself with math problems. Currently, I have the tools to dive. Why would I change? I suspect that agencies still teach imperial in NA because of the same reasons. The instructors speak imperial, the students understand imperial, and in the end, they can dive safely using it. Probably the industry is focused on the small goal of putting people in the water and not taking the leading role in reforming cultural ideology.

And that is exactly why it takes a good government to step in and implement the change. Like so many other countries have done in the past years and decades. Australia is a prime example of how well it can be done. Canada and the UK are prime examples of half-assed implementations. But they're gonna get there eventually, and even faster so once the US joins in.

As for diving, it's up to the agencies and the dive shops to make the change. More pressure from the community means they will do it quicker.

And I wouldn't knock the US too much for not facing change. They have been tackling some pretty big issues in the last few years; from same sex marriage, universal health care coverage, immigration reform and privacy concerns in the face of terrorism. Tough, messy issues no matter where you stand, so I give them a pass for not getting all fervent over going "metric".

Can't tell if this is sarcastic or serious. Any help?

 

[tomfcrist]

Let's sum up this entire thread:

Metric sucks.

Oh snap, no you didn't.

Yes I did. Go get me a quart sized juice box.

You yanks will have to convert eventually.

Nope. Nobody wants your rinky dink measurement system over here.

Why don't you just fall in one with the rest of the world?

Not gonna happen commie...Mercia...F-yea!

 

[TMHeimer]

We've gotten into government now. Consider this-- Canada went metric in the early to mid '70s (just before I arrived). I often wonder who among the public wanted that? Certainly not anyone who was well into adulthood or old age. Probably also no one who had just finished H.S. with the Imperial system and now was eligible to vote. Those younger than that had no vote (but were already starting through the grades under the old system). So perhaps the only ones who really wanted it were the scientists? Well, Pierre E. Trudeau wanted it, and so it was so. Now, over to the 1980s seat belt laws.....