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Measurement systems

Metric vs Imperial system

The metric system is decimal and based on SI units. Imperial and US customary units use historical relationships that are common in construction, travel, cooking, land, and trade.

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Metric system

Metric units scale by powers of ten. Common examples include meter, kilometer, gram, kilogram, liter, square meter, and Celsius.

Imperial and US customary

Common units include inch, foot, yard, mile, ounce, pound, gallon, quart, pint, acre, and Fahrenheit. Some US and imperial liquid units differ.

Exact anchors

Many modern relationships are exact, including 1 inch = 0.0254 meters and 1 pound = 0.45359237 kilograms.