Did such a cover-up or situation actually occur?

[soulslicer]

I heard vaguely in a presentation today that recently (I don't know how recent, could be years) the Americans had asked the British to build a satellite for them (gave them the specifications and all) and the information of distance was given in Miles. However, the British mis took this for Kilometers and nobody found out about this error, and when it was launched, it blew up in space, sparking a fury between the two nations.

Is this true? Google failed me btw..

 

[Raziaar]

That's what caused World War III.

 

[Druckles]

I'm sure I've heard a similar tale. It's probably just an Urban Legend.

 

[Pesmerga]

Yeah I've heard a similar thing, but exchange miles for some other scientific unit.

Google returns nothing on the matter.

 

[Raxxman]

It's prob BS, British work in miles.

 

[Druckles]

I think he got them the wrong way around.

Americans probably gave us bloody metric and we attempted to use stupid imperical

 

[kattmat]

This tale probably has it's origins in the Mars Climate Orbiter failure, a Nasa probe that burned up in the martian atmosphere due to units confusion. The American manufacturer had used miles and Nasa sent commands in Km.

 

[Druckles]

http://edition.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric.02/

Linky for y'all.

Oh, and it wasn't England. But it does refer to it as an "English" system. When it's not. We just happen to use it. And its use is declining.

 

[soulslicer]

Wow thanks for the link. That is some crazy story!

 

[ComradeBadger]

I think he got them the wrong way around.

Americans probably gave us bloody metric and we attempted to use stupid imperical

America still uses imperial systems of measurements in all their scientific work. They went to the moon using it.

 

[CptStern]

the metric system is in decline in the UK? since when? what are you using in it's place? surely not the outdated imperical system?

 

[Druckles]

Sorry. I was referring to the imperical system declining. Everyone's moving to metric. Makes sense. I like dividing by the exponent of 10.

 

[Solaris]

Imperial is ****ing retarded.

 

[Stigmata]

Imperial is ****ing retarded.

Damn straight.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Yeah, I've never got the Imperial measurement system. The only things it's useful for is pouring pints and measuring movement in Warhammer.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[The Monkey]

The Imperial system is incredibly stupid, I can't believe people are still using it.

 

[Pulse]

The IMS is only good for one purpose; defining pints of various liquids.

 

[[Matt]]

Imperial usage is in decline in the UK but it will never be totally replaced in the UK for one reason... The pint!!

 

[Druckles]

You're pronouncing it wrong.

It's t' piynt!

 

[Operational]

Well the pint will probably be one of the Imperial systems legacy's. Like the dimensions of monitors or a persons height (although that one will probably go in time, I use centimeters but older generations still use feet & inches).

 

[Bob_Marley]

America still uses imperial systems of measurements in all their scientific work. They went to the moon using it.

Not quite, proper imperial measurements and American measurements have several key differences, which can cause confusion.

Anyway, I gets 40 rods to the hogs head and thats the way I likes it!

 

[Dan]

Sorry. I was referring to the imperical system declining. Everyone's moving to metric. Makes sense. I like dividing by the exponent of 10.

I don't think that would help with metric. Dividing by powers of 10 might be better.

 

[Druckles]

I don't think that would help with metric. Dividing by powers of 10 might be better.

Exponent of 10 = 10^x

 

[Operational]

Facepalms are over used.

Also Dan is right "exponent of 10" i.e. 10^x refers to x not the number 10^x. Making "10 exponent 3" = 10^3.

 

[Druckles]

What I said was right. The exponent of 10 is what tells you where the decimal point is (in layman's terms).

 

[Dan]

Exponent of 10 = 10^x

The exponent of 10 in that case is x. 10^x is a power of 10. I'd insert a you fail picture here if I had one.

What I said was right. The exponent of 10 is what tells you where the decimal point is (in layman's terms).

Here is what you said:

I like dividing by the exponent of 10

Dividing a number by the exponent of 10 would have no use in a metric system. Take for example going from grams to kilograms. The difference is a factor of 1000. 7 grams = 7E-3 kg, or 7*10^-3. The exponent of 10 in this case is -3. Dividing 7 by -3 gives you an irrelevant number, -2.3. What you want to do is divide by a power of 10. In this case, it's 10^3, or 1000. 1000 is the third power of 10.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

 

[Druckles]

The exponent of 10 in that case is x. 10^x is a power of 10.

Sorry. Read my post again. I said divide. Meant to say move.

Exponent of 10 is correct. I just put it in the wrong context.

Here, I'll facepalm myself for you

 

[Operational]

Sorry. Read my post again. I said divide. Meant to say move.

Exponent of 10 is correct. I just put it in the wrong context.

Here, I'll facepalm myself for you

You can also have this one back