CHAPTER VI.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.-CURRENCIES.-MONOMIALS AND

POLYNOMIALS.-DUODECIMALS.-ALIQUOT PARTS.

Different Orders of Measuring Units.

(101.) A Quantity (3) is sometimes expressed in two or more different orders of measuring units.

Thus 5 dollars 25 cents is a quantity, or sum of money, expressed in two different orders of measuring units.

In the expression 3 pounds 4 ounces are how many different orders of measuring units? In 4 days 7 hours 20 minutes are how many different orders of measuring units?

In Federal Money, as has been seen (92), the measuring units rise from lower to higher orders by a tenfold increase, as in abstract numbers.

In other kinds of quantity, the relative values of the measuring units are to be learned from the following Tables:

(102.) Troy Weight

Is used in weighing jewels, gold, silver, liquors, and, generally, the most valuable commodities.

24 grains (gr.) make 1 pennyweight, dwt.

One gr. is what part of a dwt.? 1 dut. is what part of an oz.

One oz. is what part of a lb. ?

(103.) Avoirdupois Weight

Is used in weighing groceries, all the coarser metals, and, generally, all coarse and cheap commodities.

This Table is according to former usage, which is still the sage of Great Britain, and of the Custom Houses of the Inited States.

By the statutes of several of our States,

This makes a ton consist of 2000 pounds, while by the frst Table a T. is 2240 lb.

But even in these States the first Table is often followed in weighing the coarsest commodities, such as plaster, coal, iron, hemp, &c.

One pound in Avoirdupois Weight is equal to 1lb. 2oz. 11dwt. 16gr. in Troy Weight.

One dr. is what part of an oz. ? 1 lb. is what part of a qr. ?

(104.) Apothecaries' Weight

is used in compounding medicines, which, however, are bought and sold by Avoirdupois Weight.

The pound, ounce, and grain in Apothecaries' Weight, are the same as in Troy Weight.

One gr. is what part of a scruple? One scruple is what part of a dram?

(105.) Dry Measure

Is used in measuring grain, fruit, salt, and, in general, all such commodities as are estimated in the heap or aggregate.

2 pints (pt.) make 1 quart, qt.

The English quarter, in Dry Measure, is 8 bushels, and the chaldron is a coal measure of 36 bushels; but coal is usually sold by weight.

One pt. is what part of a qt.? 1 qt. is what part of a pk.?

(106.) Beer Measure

Is used in measuring beer and other malt liquors, and, in some places, milk and water.

The English firkin is 9 gallons; also 2 firkins make 1 kilderkin.

One qt. is what part of a gal.? 1 gal. is what part of a bar.?

(107.) Wine Measure

Is used in measuring wine, and, in general, all liquids excepting such as fall under Beer Measure.

Also 42 gallons make 1 tierce, and 84 gal. make one puncheon. The gallon in Wine Measure is .81' of a gal. in Beer Measure.

One gi. is what part of a pt.? 1 gal. is what part of a bar. ?

(108.) Linear Measure

Is used in measuring lines; that is, length, distance, height, &c.

Also 3 miles make 1 league, L.-used to express distances

at sea.

The term barley-corn was formerly used for one third of an inch the term line is sometimes used for one twelfth of an inch.

A hand is 4 inches-used in measuring the height of horses; a fathom is 6 feet-used in measuring the depth of

water.

One in. is what part of a ft.? 1 ft. is what part of a yd.?

(109.) Cloth Measure

Is used in measuring cloth, silk, lace, &c. ; being a species of Linear Measure.

Also 3 quarters make 1 Flemish Ell; 4 qr. 1} in., 1 Scotch Ell; 5 gr., 1 English Ell; and 6 gr. 1 French Ell. The yard in Cloth Measure is the same as in Linear Measure.

One in. is what part of a na. ? 1 na. is what part of a gr 2

(110.) Square Measure

Is used in measuring surfaces, that is, any extension in length and breadth, without regard to thickness.

A square inch is an inch long and an inch wide; a square foot is a foot long and a foot wide; and so on.

Square measure is found by multiplying together length and breadth; thus 2 in. long and 1 in. wide makes 2 square inches; 2 in. long and 2 in. wide makes 4 square inches; and so on. Hence

144 square inches (sq. in.) make 1 square foot, sq. ft

Also 640 acres make 1 square mile, or Section of land;

and 6 miles square, which is 36 square miles, make a Township.