Since collectively, we seem to know just about everything, I thought I would run this past you all, especially you unit and measurement gurus.

We all know that despite the way the metric system people malign our wonderful Imperial/US system for not having a "system" to it, they're really wrong.  Just like the metric system is based on powers of 10, our system is based on powers of 2* -- we just don't ofeten realize it because many of the units are not in common use today.

So, when reviewing liquid measures, here's what I've got: (where each row is twice the previous, ex: quart = pint*2 )

fluid ounce
? update: "jack"
gill
cup
pint
quart
? update: "pottle"
gallon

So to make the jump from fluid oz. to gills you have to multiply by four; similarly, to go from quarts to gallons the factor is four.  So there must be some units which are lost to history (though I'm sure most would argue that nobody calls a half-cup a gill anymore either).

Does anyone have any idea what the missing units are (the half gill/quarter cup  and the half-gallon) ???




* for purposes of my thesis we will ignore things like firkins and hogsheads

Oh come on, somebody here has to know.  Andy?

Gills are what fish breath with.  Duh!

Our system isn't base 2, its base twelve. The sumerian system is known as being base 6, but  really its almost the same. 12 can be divided by 2,3,4,6, making it better for construction than 10 (2 and 5 only).

Just nitpicking and repeating what dear ol dad taught me.

tagged for more research

2 ounces = Jack

Not sure on the 2 qt, but I usually buy a "Half Gallon" of milk...

Quoted: Our system isn't base 2, its base twelve. The sumerian system is known as being base 6, but  really its almost the same. 12 can be divided by 2,3,4,6, making it better for construction than 10 (2 and 5 only). Just nitpicking and repeating what dear ol dad taught me.

No, I still say it's base two because adjacent units are interconverted by multiplying / dividing by two.

Similarly, metric is base ten because adjacent units are interconverted by multiplying / dividing by ten.

The Dime Bag and the Big Gulp.

tag

Quoted: 2 ounces = Jack Not sure on the 2 qt, but I usually buy a "Half Gallon" of milk...

AWESOME

Verified.

You all know everything.

Also, while verifying the "Jack" unit I ran across a tidbit which may or may not be true: the nursery rhyme Jack and Jill refers to Charles I of England, who scaled down the size of the jack to cllect more sales taxes.  Since the gill (pronounced with soft g, ala jill) is defined as two jacks:

..Jack fell down and broke his crown and jill came tumbling after

?

Who knows.

Anyway I am still waiting on another name for a half-gallon.

ok then:


Pottle

The Metric System- The best thing Napoleon ever did.

Quoted: ok then: Pottle

HOLY CRAP

The members here know everything

And, if Andy in Ireland does come on, ask him if he knows the origin of Irish Standard Gauge (for railway tracks).

Quoted: Quoted: ok then: Pottle HOLY CRAP The members here know everything

HIVEMIND