Measurement

measurement is used in a variety of different areas... it is one of the elements of math that can be found everywhere 

check out this link for a fun look at the history of measurement

http://ellerbruch.nmu.edu/CS255/JONIEMI/metricsystem.html

The following is a list of different units of measurement

length (m, cm, km, mm & mi, yd, ft, in)                                temperature ( °C , °F )

mass / weight (g, kg, tonne & lb, oz, ton)                           energy (ft-lb, BTU, joules, calories)

volume / capacity (L, ml, kl & fl oz, cp, pt, qt, gal)             currency ($, £, €, ¥, ₩, ฿)

time (sec, min, hr, day, wk, month, yr)                                digital memory (kb, mb, Gb)

There are generally two different systems of measurement within each unit, as different countries use different systems. 

The metric system is without question one of the best systems of measurement in existence.

Used in Canada almost exclusively, the metric system is based on multiples of 10.  

This allows for quick calculations moving the decimal point either to the left or right and/or adding zeros.  

The imperial system also known as the English system in the U.K. and the customary system in the U.S. is not

based on a unit of 10.  Dependent on the type of measurement conversion, the number used may be 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 16, etc...

                                              Table of common measurements

                                                               LENGTH

                             Metric                                                                     Imperial

             1 kilometre = 1000 metres                                             1 mile = 5280 feet

                   1 metre = 100 centimetres                                       1 yard = 3 feet

          1 centimetre = 10 millimetres                                            1 foot = 12 inches

                                                     MASS / WEIGHT

                             Metric                                                                     Imperial

       1 metric tonne = 1000 kilograms                                         1 ton = 2000 pounds

             1 kilogram = 1000 grams                                          1 pound = 16 ounces

                   1 gram = 1000 milligrams

                                                VOLUME / CAPACITY

                             Metric                                                                    Imperial

               1 kilolitre = 1000 litres                                             1 gallon = 4 quarts

                     1 litre = 1000 millitres                                         1 quart = 2 pints

                                                                                                                    1 UK pint = 20 fluid ounces

                                                                                               1 US pint = 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) 

                                                                                                    1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

                                                                                                             1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons

                                                                                         1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

                                                             TIME

                                                     1 year = 365 days

                                                     1 year = 12 months

                                                     1 year = 52 weeks

                                                   1 week = 7 days

                                                      1 day = 24 hours

                                                    1 hour = 60 minutes

                                                1 minute = 60 seconds

Technically there are 365¼ days in a year.  However we usually account for it every four years with a leap year.

The extra day is added at the end of February, as demonstrated in the well-known tune...

30 days has September, April, June & November

all the rest have 31

except for February... it has 28

except for on leap years when it has 29

                                                                     TEMPERATURE

Temperature is usually measured in either degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

We can convert from one system of temperature to the other using the following formulas...

                       °C = 5   x  ( °F - 32 )                    °F = 9  x °C + 32

                                9                                                   5

Several online sites can be used to do measurement conversions.  Such as...

this link for an online conversion of length

http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_common.htm 

this link for an online conversion of weight / mass

http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_common.htm

or use this google gadget to convert from one unit of measurement to another 

                                                       or to convert from one system of measurement to another