Metric Measurement System

Having a unified system of measurements is an indispensible element of any functional society. A society that does not operate with some sort of base against which to compare measurements, whether distance, weight, or height, will have difficulty functioning.

Fortunately, societies throughout the world have developed systems of measurement, although not all countries operate using the same ones. However, with the ability to convert from one system to another, the world has learned to understand and deal in the measurement systems of others.

The metric system is one such system of measurement popular in today’s culture. In fact, it is the most widely used system of measurement in the world. It was first adopted in France in 1791, and has gradually spread to the far corners of the world since then.

Liberia, Myanmar and the United States are thought to be the only countries that don't utilize the metric system, meaning that the inches to MM conversion is often needed in these locations. While many cultures operate under a strict metric system, there are others that permit the use of other types of measurements in certain circumstances.

For example, in the United Kingdom, traffic signs are only allowed to be depicted using imperial units (miles or yards).  In the United States, although the imperial system is used for household purposes, science and military operations function using the metric system.

The original idea of the metric system is widely credited to John Wilkins, who served with London's Royal Society in the 1660's. Citizens and merchants agreed that a common system of measurement was needed, in part to help facilitate trade and commerce.