| Author |
Message |
Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:20 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
| Quote: | Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
"Seán O'Leathlóbhair" <jwlawler@yahoo.com
[...]
Which is better value 100ml for $1.50 or 187ml for $2.80?
I don't think that it's likely that you'll see such a comparison
needed. [...]
Here it may be required. As revealed elsewhere in the thread, milk
is
sometimes imperial and sometimes metric.
One UK pint for 40p or 500ml for 35p?
|
Well, it's always a good idea to check, but British supermarkets do
it for you. On the price-ticket, there's always an equivalent price
per 100ml.
[...]
| Quote: | I recognise some of the bigger terms (e.g. magnum and jeroboam) but
none of the smaller ones. Are "fifth" and "tenth" US only?
|
Yes. I don't know anywhere else which used the US gallon; and I'll be
a Dutchman, or at any rate astounded, if any Imperial-using country
ever spoke of "fifths of a gallon". As I say, it's clearly a matter
of the near-coincidence of an ordinary wine bottle's capacity and
that fraction of the US gallon; so it wouldn't have arisen anywhere
else.
[...]
--
Mike.
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:34 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Mike Lyle wrote:
| Quote: | Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
"Seán O'Leathlóbhair" <jwlawler@yahoo.com
[...]
Which is better value 100ml for $1.50 or 187ml for $2.80?
I don't think that it's likely that you'll see such a comparison
needed. [...]
Here it may be required. As revealed elsewhere in the thread, milk
is
sometimes imperial and sometimes metric.
One UK pint for 40p or 500ml for 35p?
Well, it's always a good idea to check, but British supermarkets do
it for you. On the price-ticket, there's always an equivalent price
per 100ml.
|
I was deliberately keeping quiet about that. I wanted to give the
impression that Brits were very good at arithmetic. I confess that I
use these signs and don't bother to do the arithmetic myself.
<snip>
--
Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:51 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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=?iso-8859-1?B?U2XhbiBPJ0xlYXRobPNiaGFpcg==?= filted:
| Quote: |
Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
[1] To forestall (or spur) discussion:
4.5 L ("rehoboam"), 6 L ("methuselah" or "imperial"), 9 L
("shalmaneser"), 12 L ("balthazar"), 15 L ("nebuchadnezzar").
Was Nebuchadnezzar a heavy wine drinker?
|
Given to bizarre and disturbing dreams, innit?...certainly can't rule out the
possibility....r
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 1:16 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
| Quote: |
I don't remember if there was an official start to our metrification
but it did begin in the early seventies. The start was very slow. The
pace has increased recently but there is still a long way to go. How
chaotic was the change? We fear changing to km on the roads since many
will probably go wild when they see a 110 sign.
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Oh, they will! They'll be screaming along at 110, even 120 kph! (I do
it all the time, just for the thrills! Shhhh!) |
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thirty-seven
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 4:36 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
| Quote: | thirty-seven wrote:
.. . .
(The U.S. not being the only country
on this side of the Atlantic.)
.. . .
Sorry, you must get tired of people making that mistake.
|
No problem. :-)
> Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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JF
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 4:45 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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In message <dl01bd01kad@drn.newsguy.com>, R H Draney
<dadoctah@spamcop.net> writes
| Quote: | =?iso-8859-1?B?U2XhbiBPJ0xlYXRobPNiaGFpcg==?= filted:
Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
[1] To forestall (or spur) discussion:
4.5 L ("rehoboam"), 6 L ("methuselah" or "imperial"), 9 L
("shalmaneser"), 12 L ("balthazar"), 15 L ("nebuchadnezzar").
Was Nebuchadnezzar a heavy wine drinker?
Given to bizarre and disturbing dreams, innit?...certainly can't rule out the
possibility....r
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Hence his infamous hangover gardens. |
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Robin Bignall
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:12 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 08:18:03 +0800, Robert Bannister
<robban@it.net.au> wrote:
| Quote: | Richard Bollard wrote:
On 8 Nov 2005 14:18:59 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote:
I think that Australia started after us but they certainly completed
long before us. They appear to have been completely metric for a long
time. Can any Australians out there tell us when the transition
occurred and how long it took?
Officially 1971 to 1982, industry by industry. Metrification, it were
called.
Before that, pharmaceuticals in 1965. The currency went metric on the
14th of February, 1966 (which every Australian alive at the time sings
to the tune of "Click go the shears".
The odd thing is the reappearance of "pint" glasses over the last few
years. I'm not sure whether this stemmed from Guinness or from boutique
beers, but just about every trendy pub has pint glasses now. I did ask
my barmaid whether they were how many mils they were or whether they
were 20 oz, but as I'd had a few, I can't remember the answer.
|
According to an article in The Times a day or two ago a real ale pub
(somewhere near Oxford?) has introduced glasses containing a third of
a pint so that customers can taste many different beers without
getting too pissed.
--
Robin
Hoddesdon, England |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:19 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Robin Bignall wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 08:18:03 +0800, Robert Bannister
robban@it.net.au> wrote:
Richard Bollard wrote:
On 8 Nov 2005 14:18:59 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote:
I think that Australia started after us but they certainly completed
long before us. They appear to have been completely metric for a long
time. Can any Australians out there tell us when the transition
occurred and how long it took?
Officially 1971 to 1982, industry by industry. Metrification, it were
called.
Before that, pharmaceuticals in 1965. The currency went metric on the
14th of February, 1966 (which every Australian alive at the time sings
to the tune of "Click go the shears".
The odd thing is the reappearance of "pint" glasses over the last few
years. I'm not sure whether this stemmed from Guinness or from boutique
beers, but just about every trendy pub has pint glasses now. I did ask
my barmaid whether they were how many mils they were or whether they
were 20 oz, but as I'd had a few, I can't remember the answer.
According to an article in The Times a day or two ago a real ale pub
(somewhere near Oxford?) has introduced glasses containing a third of
a pint so that customers can taste many different beers without
getting too pissed.
--
Robin
Hoddesdon, England
|
I thought that it was only legal to sell in multiples of half a pint.
I wonder if they have to sell then three at a time. In some US bars,
there are samplers where you buy a set of small glasses of each of
their beers. If I am new to the place, I often start this way.
--
Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:22 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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larrysulky@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
I don't remember if there was an official start to our metrification
but it did begin in the early seventies. The start was very slow. The
pace has increased recently but there is still a long way to go. How
chaotic was the change? We fear changing to km on the roads since many
will probably go wild when they see a 110 sign.
Oh, they will! They'll be screaming along at 110, even 120 kph! (I do
it all the time, just for the thrills! Shhhh!)
|
I am jealous, I have to crawl along at 70mph. But, if the signs go
metric but my speedo remains in mph . . .
The French police always let off speeding Brits for this reason (*).
(*) In case, anyone does not realise, this is a joke. On the contrary,
I have heard that they are very strict. I am not recommending you to
speed on French roads.
--
Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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Ray Heindl
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:00 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Evan Kirshenbaum <kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Ray Heindl <vortren-newsx@yaxhoo.com> writes:
The Google ratio for "three quarters of":"three fourths of" is
6:1, for what it's worth. Both sound equally normal to my USan
ears; I didn't expect such a high ratio.
I suspect that there's a fair amount of "three quarters of
excellent football" and the like.
|
Looking at the first few pages of hits, I find the biggest red herring
is "the first three quarters of 2005" and the like, i.e., using quarter
as a unit of time rather than as a fraction. But there don't appear to
be enough of that sort to make a big difference in the ratio.
--
Ray Heindl
(remove the Xs to reply) |
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Ray Heindl
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:00 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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Evan Kirshenbaum <kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Ray Heindl <vortren-newsx@yaxhoo.com> writes:
Were liquid measures developed in anticipation of the binary
computer age? Starting with 1 tablespoon,
x 2 = 1 ounce
x 2^2 = 1 gill
x 2 = 1 cup
x 2 = 1 pint
x 2 = 1 quart
x 2^2 = 1 gallon
So in binary, 1 gallon = 100000000 tablespoons.
Nah. Start with a dram. A tablespoon is four drams, so a gallon
is 10000000000 drams.
|
Even better. My CRC Handbook doesn't list drams, and I hadn't bothered
to consult a dictionary.
--
Ray Heindl
(remove the Xs to reply) |
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Robin Bignall
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:03 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
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On 10 Nov 2005 14:19:34 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
<jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Robin Bignall wrote:
On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 08:18:03 +0800, Robert Bannister
robban@it.net.au> wrote:
Richard Bollard wrote:
On 8 Nov 2005 14:18:59 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote:
I think that Australia started after us but they certainly completed
long before us. They appear to have been completely metric for a long
time. Can any Australians out there tell us when the transition
occurred and how long it took?
Officially 1971 to 1982, industry by industry. Metrification, it were
called.
Before that, pharmaceuticals in 1965. The currency went metric on the
14th of February, 1966 (which every Australian alive at the time sings
to the tune of "Click go the shears".
The odd thing is the reappearance of "pint" glasses over the last few
years. I'm not sure whether this stemmed from Guinness or from boutique
beers, but just about every trendy pub has pint glasses now. I did ask
my barmaid whether they were how many mils they were or whether they
were 20 oz, but as I'd had a few, I can't remember the answer.
According to an article in The Times a day or two ago a real ale pub
(somewhere near Oxford?) has introduced glasses containing a third of
a pint so that customers can taste many different beers without
getting too pissed.
--
Robin
Hoddesdon, England
I thought that it was only legal to sell in multiples of half a pint.
I wonder if they have to sell then three at a time. In some US bars,
there are samplers where you buy a set of small glasses of each of
their beers. If I am new to the place, I often start this way.
|
I got the place wrong (a blonde moment) but it's legal. From the
article on November 1st:
<quote>
Getting the measure of small beer
A 17th-century pub in Devon is thought to be the first in the country
to serve beer in glasses which hold a third of a pint.
The riverside Bridge Inn at Topsham, near Exeter, Devon, has 500 of
the specially made glasses, bearing Government Weights and Measures
official stamps. Caroline Cheffers-Heard, the landlady, said that the
thirds allowed customers to taste the strong beers served in the pub
“without going over the top and getting drunk”.
</quote>
--
Robin
Hoddesdon, England |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:05 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
|
|
Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
[...]
| Quote: | I thought that it was only legal to sell in multiples of half a
pint.
I wonder if they have to sell then three at a time. In some US
bars,
there are samplers where you buy a set of small glasses of each of
their beers. If I am new to the place, I often start this way.
|
It's hard to approve of Wetherspoon's, but they'll always give you
free tastes.
--
Mike. |
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Robert Bannister
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:12 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
|
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
| Quote: | Robert Bannister wrote:
Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:
reiro wrote:
Dnia Tue, 08 Nov 2005 12:36:14 +0100, David Taylor
davidt-news@yadt.co.uk> napisa³:
72/2 - can I read it as seventy-two second? or just as thirty-six?
72 halves... perhaps... but I would never say that. Either 72 over 2,
or 36.
Is it possible to use this structure "nmber over number" to talk about
common fractions like 1/2- one over two or 3/4 as three over four?
In certain mathematical contexts yes. It would be common when
dictating an expression and it is also likely when explaining a
computation. Note that "one upon two" is also common.
I've never heard that "upon" usage. Which region is that common in?
--
Rob Bannister
I cannot pin it down to a geographical region any more accurately than
"The British Isles". It may be restricted to a mathematical context
but not necessarily a serious academic one. I would be least surprised
to hear it when reading out a mathematical expression. I would
normally user "over" myself but may use "upon" occasionally if I found
myself saying "over" too much.
|
I lived the first 31 years of my life in the British Isles, and I don't
ever remember hearing this.
--
Rob Bannister |
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Robert Bannister
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 6:18 am
Post subject: Re: reading fractions |
|
|
Robin Bignall wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 08:18:03 +0800, Robert Bannister
robban@it.net.au> wrote:
Richard Bollard wrote:
On 8 Nov 2005 14:18:59 -0800, "Seán O'Leathlóbhair"
jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote:
I think that Australia started after us but they certainly completed
long before us. They appear to have been completely metric for a long
time. Can any Australians out there tell us when the transition
occurred and how long it took?
Officially 1971 to 1982, industry by industry. Metrification, it were
called.
Before that, pharmaceuticals in 1965. The currency went metric on the
14th of February, 1966 (which every Australian alive at the time sings
to the tune of "Click go the shears".
The odd thing is the reappearance of "pint" glasses over the last few
years. I'm not sure whether this stemmed from Guinness or from boutique
beers, but just about every trendy pub has pint glasses now. I did ask
my barmaid whether they were how many mils they were or whether they
were 20 oz, but as I'd had a few, I can't remember the answer.
According to an article in The Times a day or two ago a real ale pub
(somewhere near Oxford?) has introduced glasses containing a third of
a pint so that customers can taste many different beers without
getting too pissed.
|
I went to a new brewery/pub just outside Perth (W Australia) a few weeks
ago, and they offered "samplers" which were wooden holders a bit like a
large spice rack containing 8 wine-glass-size glasses of different
beers. Can't remember the price, as the landlady gave us the first round
free*, but it was good value for money.
* We had been Morris dancing, so I suppose it was to induce us to stop.
--
Rob Bannister |
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