Metric time: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:04, 23 December 2004

Revision as of 09:05, 23 December 2004

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== Alternative Meaning ==

Metric time is sometimes used to mean [[decimal time]]. Metric time properly refers to measurement of time interval, while [[decimal time]] refers to the time of day. Standard time of day is defined by various time scales, such as [[UTC]], which are now usually based upon the metric base unit of time, the second. Some proposals for alternative units of metric time are accompanied by decimal time scales for telling the time of day based upon these alternative units. Other proposals called "metric time" refer only to decimal time, and therefore are not truly metric.

[[France|French]] decimal time is sometimes called "metric time" because it was introduced around the same time as the metric system and both were decimal, but it was not part of the decree creating the original metric system and its units were named for the [[hour]], [[minute]] and [[second]], instead of using metric prefixes. Other decimal time standards, such as [[Swatch Internet Time]], are not considered metric time.