Metric for Me!: A Layperson's Guide to the Metric System for Everyday Use With Exercises, Problems, and Estimations (With Metric Chart) [Paperback]

Robert W. Shoemaker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For a quick way to think in metric and avoid constant conversions, get" this book. -- International Travel News, Sep 1994, p 68

"This clearly written and comprehensive...book which includes plenty of exercises, problems, and estimations...is a welcome tool for teachers or anyone else...." -- Odyssey, June 1994, p 17

"[A]ll educators...will appreciate this easy-to-understand" book. -- Association of Illinois Middle-Level Schools Newsletter, March 1994, p.5

"[A]n admirable presentation of the" metric system....[T]his book and accompanying wall chart are excellent...." -- The Mathematics Teacher, Oct 94, p.573

"[A]n excellent overview of the metric system.... The included colorful, easy-to-understand wall chart is a minicourse in itself." The book "is filled with hands-on activities to teach metric without first converting from" English measure. -- Math Teaching in the Middle School, Nov-Dec 1994, p 257

A "delightful book that...guides the layperson to the metric system." "The fact that unit conversion is given short shrift speaks volumes about Shoemaker's approach...." "The wall chart that comes with this book is a jewel...superior to the pedantic wall chart published by the U.S. Government...." -- American National Metric Council, Metric Reporter, Jan-Feb 1995, p 3 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Why Buy This Book? Because "the book is superb! It could become the definitive work of its kind," according to [a past Director of the] Office of Metric Programs, U.S. Department of Commerce. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 60 pages
• Publisher: Blackhawk Pub; 2 edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962798037
• ISBN-13: 978-0962798030
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,138,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A quick and easy way to begin learning the metric system!, January 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Metric for Me!: A Layperson's Guide to the Metric System for Everyday Use With Exercises, Problems, and Estimations (Paperback)

Metric For Me! is a very useful book for the layman seeking tolearn the basic units of the metric system for everyday use: themeter, liter and gram. It can be used for self-instruction or by educators as a classroom text. An accompanying wall chart entitled All You Need To Know About The Metric System For Everyday Use (which is frequently referred to in the text) is a valuable adjunct to learning. The chart may be purchased separately. The book is a practical, concentrated short-course focused on teaching the three measurement units. It is a "learn-by-doing" text with no conversions between metric and inch-pound units. This is the best way to learn the metric system. Each major section contains a series of hands-on exercises, review problems (with answers), and estimating activities which provide practice and help the learner build an understanding of metric-system concepts. It stresses learning by building a frame-of-reference so the learner can visualize the sizes of metric units. The book clearly explains use of the decimal system with metric-system units and the symbols that are used to represent the units. It is also a workbook, structured so the student can write answers to practice problems directly in the book.Other short sections of this text include: information about the history and development of the metric system; a short discussion of the superiority of the metric system over other measurement systems, including its simplicity and logic; rationale for the U.S. transition to metric-system usage; and a brief discussion of Celsius temperature. For educators using the book as a classroom text, there is a suggested schedule for structuring the course as well as directions for obtaining an instructor's manual. Most equipment and supplies needed for doing the exercises can be found in the average home. But, unless the book is studied in a classroom setting where metric measuring equipment is available, for self-instruction the learner needs to obtain (or have access to) a metric measuring tape, a meterstick, a metric scale for weighing small items, and a bathroom-type scale for body weight (mass).A 10-rating was given, because for the intended purpose of the book, which is learning to understand and use the meter, liter and gram, the text (especially when used with the chart) provides total instruction necessary for the learner to achieve this goal easily and quickly.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource very useful, February 21, 2011

By 

J. Templeton "(Mr.T)" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Metric for Me!: A Layperson's Guide to the Metric System for Everyday Use With Exercises, Problems, and Estimations (With Metric Chart) (Paperback)

I purchased this resource for my students and it was a great help,

I would recommend they do a reprint of the book, the one I got was used (and in very good condition but the publisher should run more of these)

The book is a very in depth resource and it will be very useful for teaching students and those who do not understand the metric system.

The supplier was great to deal with and sent the book when stated. Thanks.

11 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most practical metric system learning tool available, March 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Metric for Me!: A Layperson's Guide to the Metric System for Everyday Use With Exercises, Problems, and Estimations (With Metric Chart) (Paperback)

In the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Metric Programs,we maintained comprehensive libraries of literature and tools used to teach and to learn the metric system. Almost all drew focus on the mathematical relationship of metric units to their inch-pound equivalents through use of conversion tables.

This book and chart, instead, relates metric units of measurement to objects and modules familiar in our everyday lives. Understanding is achieved by familiar visualization rather than by mathematical conversion. Anyone who has lived or traveled extensively abroad knows that this is how they became comfortable with metric measure.

Use of this approach, especially in our school systems, would help people of all ages become more comfortable with the measurement system used by the rest of an ever, more interdependent world.