Sciencemadness Discussion Board

We should be using metric/SI prefixes on currencies

fusso - 8-9-2018 at 21:29

One reason is consistency.
When we use SI in other measurements, then why not also money?
Another is to eliminate confusion between British and American.
"Hey that's trillion not billion!"
3rd is convenience.
Megadollars is much more easier to write and pronounce than million dollars.
See the following site for details.
https://diracseashore.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/scientific-no...

[Edited on 09/09/18 by fusso]

j_sum1 - 9-9-2018 at 00:52

It is of little importance as long as thete are different base units around.

And we have different currencies for economic reasons: there are reasons for countries to keep their economies separate from other countries. It protects them from economic fluctuations that they would otherwise have no control over.

There is nothing to be gained by trying to attain some uniformity with the nomenclature of non uniform quantities. You are trying to compare kiloapples with hectoranges.

fusso - 9-9-2018 at 01:28

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  

And we have different currencies for economic reasons: there are reasons for countries to keep their economies separate from other countries. It protects them from economic fluctuations that they would otherwise have no control over.
Then you can use kiloeuro, megayen etc, no need to restrict yourself to only use dollar.

j_sum1 - 9-9-2018 at 01:32

But you are still dealing with non-base-ten conversion factors because the base units are different. So any advantage is nullified.

fusso - 9-9-2018 at 03:06

Sorry I don't understand what you mean?

j_sum1 - 9-9-2018 at 03:29

Converting from Euro to Yen is not made easier by using kiloeuro and megayen.


I actually think it makes more sense to use decamonths and gigaseconds. With currencies you are always going to have variable conversion rates. Using metric prefixes simplifies nothing.

DraconicAcid - 9-9-2018 at 09:34

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
Converting from Euro to Yen is not made easier by using kiloeuro and megayen.


Who said it did? It just makes it easier for people to keep billions, millions, milliards, and trillions straight.

(And I do use kiloseconds, but only when teaching my students how to do unit conversions properly.)

CobaltChloride - 9-9-2018 at 10:00

In some languages, they already use SI prefixes. For example, in French you can say 32 KEUR (kilo-euro) instead of 32000 EUR.

Swinfi2 - 9-9-2018 at 12:21

All currencies are imaginary and hence dimensionsless.

Their even more imaginary now their not even backed by a gold standard.

Si prefixing only helps the masses understand extra ¤¤¤'s during hyperinflation, people with ¤¤¤'s now don't need to count them. Why would the people who made the hyperinflation want the masses to understand it better? (They wouldn't)

Society is on a knife edge you just need to look for the signs and realise who pulls the strings to keep it that way for their profit. The only question left is where falls next.

[Edited on 9-9-2018 by Swinfi2]

unionised - 9-9-2018 at 13:04

Quote: Originally posted by Swinfi2  
All currencies are imaginary and hence dimensionsless.

[Edited on 9-9-2018 by Swinfi2]

As far as I can tell, they famously have the same dimension as time.

j_sum1 - 9-9-2018 at 13:31

I don't understand what problem we are trying to solve here.

SWIM - 9-9-2018 at 18:24

Okay. Fusso, so how would you say: $3,246,327.98 in metric prefixes?

Is it 3.24632798 megadollars?

Or is it 324,632,798 centidollars?

And which of the three is easier?

And is it true the milliard was invented by Millard Filmore, but the spelling was later changed by his associates in the Know-Nothing Party; because they really didn't know much of anything, including phonetics?


[Edited on 10-9-2018 by SWIM]

DraconicAcid - 9-9-2018 at 19:58

How many times are large prices discussed right down to the last cent?

fusso - 9-9-2018 at 20:32

Quote: Originally posted by SWIM  
Okay. Fusso, so how would you say: $3,246,327.98 in metric prefixes?

Is it 3.24632798 megadollars?

Or is it 324,632,798 centidollars?

And which of the three is easier?

And is it true the milliard was invented by Millard Filmore, but the spelling was later changed by his associates in the Know-Nothing Party; because they really didn't know much of anything, including phonetics?


[Edited on 10-9-2018 by SWIM]
I'd just say about 3 megadollars. As DA mentioned, who would bother saying the remaining digits?

j_sum1 - 9-9-2018 at 20:58

You would need to convince me that in the context of discussing financial matters megadollar and gigadollar is somehow superior to the "millions of dollars" and "billions of dollars" that we read in the newspapers. I remain unconvinced. Especially since in any given discussion we are generally comparing quantities of similar orders of magnitude. (There are not many budget discussions that include $1000 items and $1000,000,000 items.)

As I have already argued, when it comes to using different currencies, any advantage there may be melts into the mire of currency conversions.

JJay - 9-9-2018 at 21:30

Using metric suffixes for currencies is an abomination. $1000 is not a "K" for "kilodollar." It's a "G" for "grand."

SWIM - 10-9-2018 at 10:44

Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid  
How many times are large prices discussed right down to the last cent?


1 When you buy things
2 When you sell things
3 When you do accounting
4 When the IRS comes to ask for the other $4,540.32 you owe on your tax bill. They take a dim view of rounding off.


fusso - 10-9-2018 at 11:55

Quote: Originally posted by SWIM  
Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid  
How many times are large prices discussed right down to the last cent?


1 When you buy things
2 When you sell things
3 When you do accounting
4 When the IRS comes to ask for the other $4,540.32 you owe on your tax bill. They take a dim view of rounding off.


Yes the exact number/value/amount can still be displayed on paper/screen when you use kilodollars in oral communication. I didn't say you have to simplify every number you use.

[Edited on 10/09/18 by fusso]

[Edited on 10/09/18 by fusso]

Texium - 10-9-2018 at 12:00

This is... very goofy to say the least. It certainly belongs in Whimsy, though I am pretty sure dear fusso doesn't have access, so I guess I'll leave it here a while longer.