ABSTRACT
The parallel existence of the US customary system, the metric system, and other measurement systems has been the cause of tragic and costly mishaps. The mishap’s cause turned out to be a mismatch between the units of measure used by two companies collaborating on the mission. Use appropriate and consistent units of measure to reduce the chance of confusion and, consequently, taking the wrong action. It is particularly important to use appropriate and consistent units of measure, ideally sticking to one of the two common systems and then avoiding mixing different measurements within a single measurement system. Ambiguity over units of measure, as well as accommodation of individuals familiar with one system of measure versus another, can also be resolved by computer systems that can automatically convert the values and display multiple units at once.
