Learn a simple method to convert dimensions in your head. Construction Supervisors can use this trick of the trade through their entire career. Part of the ConstructionKnowledge.net video training series.
using a calculator to get to decimal form from inches, divide by 12. for the measurements less than an inch divide the fraction to get the decimal and then divide again by 12.
Our various units of weights and measurements is crazy-making. All over the world it seems that other people outstrip us in being able to calculate quickly in their heads. On the other hand, if our teachers were given the time to "teach to learn" and not "teach to test", I believe that many Americans would become very facile in skipping back and forth across these different systems. Anyway, sorry about the rant! Thank you for this video. It was helpful.
If 1 inch is .08 how come when I try to do 11x.08 it adds up to .88 and not .92 I don’t trust my math to do it in my head not very good at it so I’m pretty dependent on my calculator I know it’s not good to be that way but I have to
Decimal feet. Real people, doing real construction, use decimal feet. Remember that, the next time an opponent of the metric system says that U.S. units are more "natural" because a foot is divided into 12 inches.
The rest of the world have no problem calculating meter to kilometer back again to millimeter, or combination of meter and millimeter. All done in decimal, easy without even thinking. Here in US we have to deal with fraction, decimal, inch and feet. I told my Architect friend 163" and he grab calculator and start calculating in feet. It blew my mind that he is unable to calculate in his mind. Further I learn that THERE IS NO ACCURACY in construction. It takes generations to convert to metric.
Memorize something? OMG! What do you expect? You probably think people should read 'n all . . . To think before there was written language, we memorized everything. Everything. Memory work comes in handy. I teach school, and the forces against memorizing anything are massive! Yes. Memorize at least some of that stuff presented here.
