Metric Conversions Made Easy 8-)

Some eyebrows were raised, figuratively, in some e-mails as a result of my quip about metric conversions that was tacked onto a posting about dueling weather forecasts. I wrote:

For the metric-ly challenged, to convert anything in metric to non-metric, double it and add 30. E.g., 10 degrees C (stands for Canadian) is the same as 50 degrees F (stands for Foreign). Double the 10 and add 30. Works the same for weight, distance, and speed.

That conversion formula is approximately correct:

• When you hear that we received 1 meter of snow somewhere in Canada, double it and add 30, to see that is approximately 32 inches of snow.
• When you see that you weigh 100 kilograms, double it and add 30 to see that you weigh approximately 230 pounds.
• When you see the speed limit is 50km/hr, double it and add thirty to see that the speed limit in most Canadian towns is 130 mph.
• When you see that the price of gasoline is 80-cents (Canadian)/litre, double it and add 30 to see that the price is roughly $1.90 (U.S.)/gallon.

Just in case you missed it in the subject line:
8-)