Why Was the Metric System Introduced?

The metric system was introduced as a simpler, standardized method of calculating weights and measures in an attempt to replace the system of imperial measures.

Function

The metric system operates on a base 10 system, meaning that all units are related by a factor of 10. For example, a meter equals 100 centimeters and a kilogram equal 1,000 grams.

History

Author Simon Stevin first suggested the metric system in 1585. However, it was not until 1670 that Frenchman Gabriel Mouton created a working system.

History

France was the first to adopt the metric system in 1795. By 1875, 17 nations had adopted the metric system.

Considerations

The metric system is advantageous because there are no conversions to memorize, only prefixes. For example, in the imperial system, there are 16 ounces to a pound, 12 inches to a foot and 2,000 pounds in a ton. With the metric system, once you have learned the prefixes, you can convert any units. For example, a kilometer is 1,000 meters just like a kilogram is 1,000 grams.

Fun Fact

Thomas Jefferson urged the United States to become the first country to adopt the metric system after winning independence from Great Britain. As of 2010, the United States is one of the only countries not to have fully adopted the metric system.

References

• Colorado State: A Chronology of the Metric System
• Vision Learning: The Metric System
• Colorado State: Commonly Used Metric System Units, Symbols and Prefixes