• SystemDisc@piefed.world
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    2 days ago

    For normal weather, 0°F to 100°F is easier to understand than -17°C to 38°C. Just like 0°C for freezing water and 100°C for boiling water is easier to remember. It’s just how our brains work. We like nice round numbers. Plus, there’s a higher fidelity between 0 and 100 than between -17 and 38.

    • Steve2734@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      Easier to understand FOR YOU.

      There is a reason only 3 countries is the whole world use the imperial system of measurement.

          • SystemDisc@piefed.world
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            2 days ago

            That goes in line with what I was saying. F makes sense for weather, and not much else. C makes sense for states of water, and not much else.

            • alsimoneau@lemmy.ca
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              9 hours ago

              F is just random and some people are used to it, and then try to assign meaning to the random points. Why should the temperature of a horse have any relation with the weather?

    • herrvogel@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It really makes no real difference for everyday use. The higher resolution of the scale is not relevant at all for deciding what to wear outside. It takes no time at all for your brain to adjust to either one of them. 38 becomes no different to you than a nice round 100.

      • SystemDisc@piefed.world
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        2 days ago

        What you are used to is definitely best for you, but I’m talking about the general practicality and usefulness in specific contexts. C in the context of states of water makes sense, and is practical and useful. F in the context of weather makes sense, because 0 to 100 is just normal weather in places with four seasons. In the context of weather, it is both practical and useful. K is practical and useful in pretty much every scientific context.

    • Jiral@lemmy.org
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      2 days ago

      Why would anyone care about -17°C? It is an arbitrary number without any relevance. The only relevance it has to you is if you think in Fahrenheit where it is an arbitrary zero point. Not even 38°C is a number you frequently hear used, unless its seriously hot and it happens to be the ambient temperature. Human body temperature is more relevant, but it isn’t a round number in either of the measurement systems, nor is it identical between individuals either.

      That “higher fidelity” argument just makes me wonder if some people don’t know the decimal system. 22.7°C, there you go. Most people don’t need that level of precision but it if they do, they simply add a position after the comma and are done with it.

      • SirQuack@feddit.nl
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        2 days ago

        Most people don’t need that level of precision

        Until they have a fever, then 38.1 and 38.9 can be significant.

        • Jiral@lemmy.org
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          1 day ago

          I have the impression you don’t know how rounding works. The two temperatures you quote would be different even with only full numbers.

          In any case, for the case of body temperature, you do exactly that, use as many positions after the comma as you want. (Usually more the one is pointless though as you can reliably measure that anyway)

    • grrgyle@slrpnk.net
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      2 days ago

      I mean it’s easier if you get used to using it. If you just use Celsius then it’s confusing and counterintuitive