Math with Bad DrawingsCartoon Archive

Metric Survivors

May 1, 2017

Two hikers notice a map's metric and imperial distances don't match (20 m is about 66 ft, not 115), which would lead imperial users into a river.

Use this cartoon

Free for classrooms, worksheets, slides and other non-commercial use under CC BY-NC 4.0, with credit to Ben Orlin.

Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2017-05-01-metric-survivors/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Transcript

A: "The map says 'Walk 20 meters (or 115 feet).'"

B: "But those are different distances! Anyone using the Imperial system will wind up in the river."

B: "The mapmaker must have made a mistake!"

A: "Or not."

B: "You're saying only metric-users should survive?"

A: "I'm saying evolution is cruel but beautiful."

Topics
Number & Arithmetic › Unit ConversionNumber & Arithmetic › MeasurementScience › Evolution
Level
ElementaryMiddle School
Themes
Everyday LifeNature & ScienceCommon Mistakes