This is the most American thing ever. Taking an official number (1,808km), converting it to customary units (1,123mi) rounding it (1,120mi) then converting it back again with rounding error.
I also have to laugh when someone takes a very rough estimate (around a hundred miles) and converts it to metric with 4 significant figures (160.9 km). Even 160 is too precise when talking about a distance of 80-120 miles. If the original number has 1 sigfig, the conversion should too, even if that feels way off.
This is the most American thing ever. Taking an official number (1,808km), converting it to customary units (1,123mi) rounding it (1,120mi) then converting it back again with rounding error.
Relevant xkcd
is there an xkcd for there always being an xkcd for everything? i wonder now …
#2087
https://www.xkcd.com/2087/
Disappointed it wasn’t tbh
404 could legitimately be argued to be tangentially related, but I can’t find any reference to Randall acknowledging that it’s a thing.
Here
There really is Xkcd for everything.
I also have to laugh when someone takes a very rough estimate (around a hundred miles) and converts it to metric with 4 significant figures (160.9 km). Even 160 is too precise when talking about a distance of 80-120 miles. If the original number has 1 sigfig, the conversion should too, even if that feels way off.
I swear I’ve bought stuff at Costco before that was 1.3608kg.
No, real Americans would measure it in rocks, or football fields or something.
It’s right there in the article.
“Stone” is British, we don’t use that bullshit here.