ABSTRACT

Measurement grew out of necessity. Early on, as property ownership developed, there was a need to know how much ground was being dealt with. The standard units of measure we use today have evolved over many years. Early measurements were based on human anatomy, making standardization problematic. Tailors once measured cloth using the distance from the tip of one outstretched hand to the center of the chest as a unit. Who would you hire, a tailor with long or short arms? The cubit (length from elbow to longest fingertip) was common to several cultures. The Egyptian Royal Cubit, used to build the pyramids, was 20.63 inches, whereas the Greek Olympic Cubit was 18.93 inches. There was a need for standardization.