But metric is perfectly fine without tools. Your foot is about 30cm. Instead of a pound you use half a kilo. And you can still express your measurements as coarsely as you'd like in it, even more easily because it's all decimal, so you can just chop off or add the significant digits if you like. You can, for example, say that your field is 1.155 kilometers long, which is 1155m - even coarser than a foot. Want more accuracy? You can say it's 1.1551 kilometers or 1155.1 meters long, your accuracy is now better than a foot, but same order of magnitude. A field that's a kilometer by a kilometer in size has a million square meters in it, or 100 hectares, each hectare being 10000m2.
Now quick, without googling, how many square feet (let alone inches) are there in a field that's a mile by a mile in size? If you manage that with some effort, how many acres? Protip: it's not even an integer number.
Also BTW, eggs are also sold in 10s in at least some metric countries.
> Also BTW, eggs are also sold in 10s in at least some metric countries.
I know because I have to buy them and it means I'm left with one left over every time. 12 eggs works for an individual, a couple, and a family of 3 or 4, and for more combinations of portion than 10 does.
> Want more accuracy? You can say it's 1.1551 kilometers or 1155.1 meters long, your accuracy is now better than a foot
That's precision, not accuracy.
> Now quick, without googling…
I already know it's a mile squared, why do I care about how many square feet there are? That's the point, you choose the measure that is appropriate, without knowing the aim how can you choose a measure?
“How big's that field?”
“A mile by a mile”
"Wow. Can I have some eggs, please?”
“Well, I've only got 10's. I hope you have exact change…”
> 12 eggs works for an individual, a couple, and a family of 3
That's only if your S.O. and kid eat the same number of eggs as you, which is not the case for me, I eat one more than they do, and 10 would work better. :-)
> That's precision, not accuracy.
That's pedantry. You understand what I meant: there's no difference between the systems in this regard.
> why do I care about how many square feet there are
Say you're applying fertilizer and its application rate is quoted in ounces per square foot (ewww).
Now quick, without googling, how many square feet (let alone inches) are there in a field that's a mile by a mile in size? If you manage that with some effort, how many acres? Protip: it's not even an integer number.
Also BTW, eggs are also sold in 10s in at least some metric countries.