No, I Am Not Ancient!!

[debris4spike]

This weeks prompt at photo_scavenger was half, and a colleague of mine gave me the idea. She asked me for the recipe for ANZAC biscuits (one I can quote), and I started off by saying "a quarter of a pond of flour" - and she asked for a translation, saying she hadn't been around that many centuries (cheek!!!!). Anyway, it gave me the idea -


However it also reminded me of the verses I had to learn when I was at school, and, of course, at the time I was learning these I was doing maths with "pounds, shillings & pence (for those who don't know - 12 pence in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound)

12 inches in a foot
3 feet in a yard
5 1/2 yards in a rod/pole/perch
22 yards in a chain
10 chains in a furlong
8 furlongs in a mile
5280 feet, 1760 yards or 80 chains in a mile

16 ounces in a pound
14 pounds in a stone
112 pounds in a hundredweight
2240 pounds in a ton

5 fluid ounces in a gill, ¼ pint
4 gills, 20 fluid ounces in a pint
8 pints in a gallon

Anyway, this will either bring back memories or confuse

Happy Sunday everyone

Comments

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I thought a rod was 5½ yards... Not that it was a measurement I ever really needed :)

[debris4spike]

Oooops - typo! Yes, thanks - 5 1/2, not 5 1/5th!!!!

[manoah.livejournal.com]

I have a "cheat sheet" posted inside of my "baking cabinet". I refer to it now and then. I'm too old to remember anything but "a pint is a pound the world around". heh.

[debris4spike]

I cheat for the pound-kilo conversion

Well, in UK we have 20 ounces in a pint, but only 16 in a pound!!!!

[manoah.livejournal.com]

Nooooo, don't confuse me! ;)

[debris4spike]

*g*

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Had quite a discussion with one of my kids about telling time (maybe grandkid?) Anyway, somebody who didn't know what "quarter of" or "a quarter after" meant. Or "half past". All they know are numbers on their digital watches/clocks.

[debris4spike]

Oh No!!! Actually I remember being shocked some time ago watching an antiques show, where people were asking "what was the point of a watch". So I guess that is where your family come from

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

A lot of people now don't wear watches because they are never apart from their phones which show the time. I'm just surprised that kids are not being taught how to read a clock that isn't digital, and therefore, don't understand time based on a 60 minute hour.

[debris4spike]

Oh it's one of my pet moans how some people can't even walk actross a room withoug=t checking their phone!!

[manoah.livejournal.com]

When I was in the district (lo, these many years ago), their math program had a lesson/section on analog clocks. They HAD to learn it as all the clocks in the school were analog. Don't know about now though.

[debris4spike]

It's amazing what you take as "normal" information others haven't a clue about

[cbtreks.livejournal.com]

So it's not actually true that a pint's a pound the world around? Huh. I still quote that to myself on occasion when I'm trying to remember how many ounces are in a quarter pint or half pint. I prefer imperial measurements to metric, which is kind of weird because I've like science since I was a kid. (I wanted to be an astronomer but seriously don't have the math skills for it.) That might be partly American prejudice, partly age, I suppose.

[debris4spike]

LOL -we like to be different!!!

I work with a 30yr old physiologist, and he just can't cope if someone gives him a reading in pints!! I will admit it makes life easier for calculations ... but I still automatically think Imperial measures