Understanding Metric and Imperial Conversions
Learn the fundamentals of converting between metric and imperial units, and why both systems are still in use today.
Why Do We Have Two Measurement Systems?
The metric system and the imperial system are the two most widely used measurement systems in the world. While most countries have adopted the metric system, the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar continue to use imperial units for everyday measurements.
The Metric System
The metric system, also known as the International System of Units (SI), is a decimal-based system developed in France during the late 18th century. Its main advantage is its simplicity—conversions between units are always powers of 10.
For example:
The Imperial System
The imperial system evolved from English units used in the British Empire. It uses less intuitive conversion factors:
Common Conversion Tips
Use our conversion tools to make accurate calculations every time!