Why don't people use the term Mega Meter (MM)

[Rouxenator]

It always irritates me when people use the term 100k KM to indicate 100,000 KM. Why not use 100MM as in 100 mega meters? Obviously being in capitals and used in the context of cars it cannot be confused with mm (millimeter).

 

[Bar0n]

It always irritates me when people use the term 100k KM to indicate 100,000 KM. Why not use 100MM as in 100 mega meters? Obviously being in capitals and used in the context of cars it cannot be confused with mm (millimeter).

You mean 0.1 mega metres?

EDIT: Sorry, you're right, it is 100. Must be the shrooms. 0.1 gigametres it is.

 

[Wikkels88]

The symbol for megameter is Mm not MM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megametre

To answer your question: I have no idea why people don't use this, I personally won't use it because 90% of the people won't have a clue if I ask them "how much will my 90 Mm service cost"

 

[guest2013-1]

It always irritates me when people use the term 100k KM to indicate 100,000 KM. Why not use 100MM as in 100 mega meters? Obviously being in capitals and used in the context of cars it cannot be confused with mm (millimeter).

Not sure if they teach it in school hey. I know I never heard of it until now.

 

[Rouxenator]

Not sure if they teach it in school hey. I know I never heard of it until now.

Every hear of a Mega Byte?

Do you know the Metric system (Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera, Peta....)

 

[Skerminkel]

I would guess that distances more than 100 000 km are rarely used in casual communication. It is mostly used by scientists and engineers, who are quite comfortable with working in exponential units.
100 000 km = 1.10^8 m (where the point indicates x, not decimal)
Exponential notation have the added advantage that it gives a clear indication of the accuracy of your measurement. In this case, the nearest 10^8 m. If I want to indicate accuracy to, say, the nearest million metre, I could write 1,00*10^8 (or 1 00.10^6, if you wish)

 

[pope24]

I think that once you get into those sizes using millions of km is a concept that people can grasp. Once we get beyond that we start talking about light years and astronomical units.

 

[guest2013-1]

Every hear of a Mega Byte?

Do you know the Metric system (Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera, Peta....)

Yes, but I didn't do computer science at school. I did however do Electronics up until my N3, so I'm very familiar with mega, giga etc

In context of "the metric" system and having had my two nieces go through these as well as myself and my mom and my dad (my grandma/grandad was taught pounds etc), I'm telling you that at school level (tertiary maybe), this isn't taught and this is why people say 100 000 Km instead of being pedantic about it and attack people for not knowing to say Mega Meters