I learned about gauge blocks last year when I wanted to learn: “How do people in real working conditions manage absolute precision engineering?”
I figured machine shops would require more accuracy than wood or other materials.
These magical blocks showed up.
The wringing process is fascinating: they really don’t know for sure why they stick together like that.
But they use it every day.
One of those marvelous cases where Engineering succeeds anyway in a place that Science doesn’t quite have a theory for yet.
If I was to teach mathematics, I would assign each kid their own set. It gives them a reason to be precise that they can feel and touch and use. All the blocks are sized in such a way that adding or subtracting correctly can result in ANY combination (up to a fantastic level of precision). Of course sets of gauge blocks are very expensive. But it’s better than “OH THE STANDARD METER IS IN FRANCE IN A GLASS DOME”. Who cares about France. Measurement isn’t magical. It’s practical.
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