We use different units because countries used to measure things in different ways. In some places, people counted distance by how many paces a horse could take, that's where miles came from. In other places, they used parts of the body or nature, like how long a meter is, that’s where kilometers came from. Over time, countries stuck with their own way of measuring things.
Examples
- A parent tells their child they have a 2-mile walk to school, but in another country, it’s about 3 kilometers.
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See also
- Why Do We Have Different Kinds of Taxes?
- Why Do Prices Change So Much?
- Why Do We Use Money Instead of Bartering?
- Why Do Prices Go Up So Much When There's a Shortage?
- Why Do We Have Different Kinds of Coins?
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Categories: Economics · units,measurement systems,history of economics