xkcd.WTF!?

Explanation ➲

This comic parodies the common advice for people converting between one system of measurement and another, which is to 'do it in steps'. In this case, instead of doing it normally (i.e. converting each part of the measurement to metric, combining them, and then saying the complete converted measurement), Cueball's response is to give the first part of the measurement in the imperial system (or the practically equivalent United States customary units), and then the second part in metric. This is worse than saying it all in one single system, as it is much more awkward and confusing for the receiver.

The title text gives another example of Cueball's conversion system, in which he gives the weight (or perhaps mass) of a package as being seven kilograms and nine ounces, converting between metric and imperial partway through the statement (rather than starting with imperial and ending with metric). However, this is technically worse, as kilograms are strictly a unit of mass whereas ounces can be a unit of mass but are usually effectively either one of a number of measurements of weight or (in line with popular US usage) a volume measurement. In this case, 7 kg 9 oz is approximately 16 lbs or 265 ounces (which in turn would be exactly 0.008 short tons; or about 0.00714 long tons, 7.255 kg, 37,588.652 carats, 333,415,012.56 Planck masses, etc).

A strategy for transitioning to the metric system was also mentioned in 526: Converting to Metric, although in that case the strategy was a practical one, unlike this comic.

This is also the first comic to give a height for Cueball, at 5'9" (176 cm), the average for a male adult in the United States.