History Metric system
1 history 1.1 original metric system 1.2 international adoption 1.3 international standards history john wilkins who, in 1668, published essay proposing decimal system of measurement in 1585 flemish mathematician simon stevin published small pamphlet called de theinde ( tenth ). decimal fractions had been employed extraction of square roots 5 centuries before time, nobody used decimal numbers in daily life. stevin declared using decimals important universal introduction of decimal weights, measures , coinage matter of time. one of earliest proposals decimal system in length, area, volume , mass linked each other made john wilkins, first secretary of royal society of london in 1668 essay essay towards real character , philosophical language . proposal used pendulum had beat of 1 second basis of unit of length. 2 years later, in 1670, gabriel mouton, french abbot , scientist, proposed decimal system of length based on circumference of earth. suggestion unit, milliare, defined minute of ...