Feeling flummoxed about feet and meters ?
With international trade, CNN, and of course the Internet, the global village is becoming better acquainted with itself. Unfortunately, a few key locations measure distance, weight, temperature, and liquids with the U.S. or Imperial system, while the rest of the world uses the metric system. This causes confusion, especially for travelers or people engaged in any sort of business transaction. So whether you're buying a bag of mangoes in Malawi or selling a tofu factory in Tokyo, you'll want be more familiar with the conversions between the two systems.
Although there are small differences between U.S. and Imperial (or British) measures, all non-metric measures are listed as the U.S standard. If you're already living in a metric paradise and you're curious what it's like in the squalid realm of U.S. measures, just reverse the supplied figures.
Before you begin
Memorizing exact metric equivalents to US measures is one skill, but the ability to make a quick and close estimate is a bit more useful. Estimation guidelines, while they aren't mathematically precise, are sufficiently accurate for most situations. (Those persons who need precise measurements will find them, as well.)
In some cases, there are mnemonic (ni-MON-ic) devices, or memorizing tricks, which will help you remember the conversion. Use these or make up your own, and your comfort level with conversions will increase markedly.
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