000			01639nam a22001817a 4500
005			20170311124632.0
008			170311b xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
020			_a9781782437437
082			_223 _a530.8 _bDON
100			_aDonald, Graeme
245			_aThe long and the short of it : _bHow we came to measure our world/ _cby Graeme Donald
260			_aLondon: _bMichael O'mara Books Limited, _c2016.
300			_a192 p. ;
520			_a- A fascinating exploration of the stories behind the units of measurement we use every day - Looks at the development of measuring systems around the world throughout history - Examines measurements of everything from time, distance and temperature, to money, data and sound We've always measured the world around us, from how big things are, to how fast they go, how much they're worth and practically everything in between. But who decided how we do it and why? the Long and the Short of It takes us back in time to discover the origins and evolution of a huge variety of different units of measurement. On the way it answers such questions as: Why do we measure time in units of 60? How do you determine the height of a mountain when sea level keeps changing? Why did the length of a mile once depend on where you came from? What's the width of a horse's backside got to do with NASA's booster rockets? Packed with fascinating stories, this is an intriguing guide to the many systems of measurement that make sense of our daily lives, from pounds and parsecs to bushels and barricades.
650			_aMeasurement--Study and teaching
650			_aMeasuring instruments
942			_2ddc _cBK
999			_c33151 _d33151