The long and the short of it
how we came to measure our world
Our rough guess is there are 48,000 words in this book.
At a pace averaging 250 words per minute, this book will take 3 hours and 12 minutes to read. With a half hour per day, this will take 7 days to read.
How long will it take you?
This book will take an estimated to read at a reading speed averaging words per minute. With 30 minutes per day, this will take to read.
Enter your reading speedYou can take one of our WPM reading speed tests to find your reading speed.
Create a free account to track your reading progress, build your reading list, and set reading goals.
Word Count
48,000 words, Guess
Page Count
192 pages
Identifiers
- Internet Archivelongshortofithow0000dona
- ISBN-101782436286
- ISBN-139781782436287
- OCLC Control Number967497061
- Better World Books9781782436287
and 1 more
- Open LibraryOL26935222M
Classifications
- DDC530.8
- LCCQA465 .D66 2016
- LCCQC88
Description
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.
Subjects
Other Editions
- The long and the short of it: how we came to measure our world
Reader Reviews
No reviews yet for this book.
Be the first to share your thoughts!