The Long and the Short of It

How We Came to Measure Our World

Graeme Donald

$24.99

Hardback

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English

Michael O'Mara Books Ltd
01 December 2016

Mensuration & systems of measurement; Popular science

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.

By: Graeme Donald
Imprint: Michael O'Mara Books Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 22mm,
ISBN: 9781782436287
ISBN 10: 1782436286
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 01 December 2016
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Graeme Donald is the author of a number of books about history, the meaning of words and popular misconceptions, including When the Earth was Flat, The Accidental Scientist, The Long and the Short of It and Learn on the Loo. His writing has also appeared in many newspapers.