What is "metric"

Metric \Met"ric\ (m[e^]t"r[i^]k), a. [L. metricus, Gr. ?: cf. F. m['e]trique. See Meter rhythm.]

1. Relating to measurement; involving, or proceeding by, measurement.

2. Of or pertaining to the meter as a standard of measurement; of or pertaining to the decimal system of measurement of which a meter is the unit; as, the metric system; a metric measurement.

   Metric analysis (Chem.), analysis by volume; volumetric analysis.

   Metric system, See metric system in the vocabulary.

"pertaining to the system of measures based on the meter," 1855, from French métrique, from mèter (see meter (n.2)). In this sense, metrical is attested from 1797.

"science of versification," 1760, from Greek he metrike "prosody," plural of metron "meter, a verse; that by which anything is measured; measure, length, size, limit, proportion" (see meter (n.2)).

1. 1 of or relating to the metric system of measurement 2 (context music English) of or relating to the meter of a piece of music. 3 (context mathematics physics English) Of or relating to distance n. A measure for something; a means of deriving a quantitative measurement or approximation for otherwise qualitative phenomena (especially used in Software Engineering) v

2. (context transitive aerospace, systems engineering English) To measure or analyse statistical data concerning the quality or effectiveness of a process.

1. adj. based on the meter as a standard of measurement; "the metric system"; "metrical equivalents" [syn: metrical]

2. the rhythmic arrangement of syllables [syn: measured, metrical]

1. n. a function of a topological space that gives, for any two points in the space, a value equal to the distance between them [syn: metric function]

2. a decimal unit of measurement of the metric system (based on meters and kilograms and seconds); "convert all the measurements to metric units"; "it is easier to work in metric" [syn: metric unit]

3. a system of related measures that facilitates the quantification of some particular characteristic [syn: system of measurement]

METRIC (Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration) is a computer model developed by the University of Idaho, that uses Landsat satellite data to compute and map evapotranspiration (ET). METRIC calculates ET as a residual of the surface energy balance, where ET is estimated by keeping account of total net short wave and long wave radiation at the vegetation or soil surface, the amount of heat conducted into soil, and the amount of heat convected into the air above the surface. The difference in these three terms represents the amount of energy absorbed during the conversion of liquid water to vapor, which is ET. METRIC expresses near-surface temperature gradients used in heat convection as indexed functions of radiometric surface temperature, thereby eliminating the need for absolutely accurate surface temperature and the need for air-temperature measurements.

The surface energy balance is internally calibrated using ground-based reference ET that is based on local weather or gridded weather data sets to reduce computational biases inherent to remote sensing-based energy balance. Slope and aspect functions and temperature lapsing are used for application to mountainous terrain. METRIC algorithms are designed for relatively routine application by trained engineers and other technical professionals who possess a familiarity with energy balance and basic radiation physics. The primary inputs for the model are short-wave and long-wave thermal images from a satellite e.g., Landsat and MODIS, a digital elevation model, and ground-based weather data measured within or near the area of interest. ET “maps” i.e., images via METRIC provide the means to quantify ET on a field-by-field basis in terms of both the rate and spatial distribution. The use of surface energy balance can detect reduced ET caused by water shortage.

In the decade since Idaho introduced METRIC, it has been adopted for use in Montana, California, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon. The mapping method has enabled these states to negotiate Native American water rights; assess agriculture to urban water transfers; manage aquifer depletion, monitor water right compliance; and protect endangered species.

A metric is a measure for quantitatively assessing, controlling or selecting a person, process, event, or institution, along with the procedures to carry out measurements and the procedures for the interpretation of the assessment in the light of previous or comparable assessments.

Metrics are usually specialized by the subject area, in which case they are valid only within a certain domain and cannot be directly benchmarked or interpreted outside it. This factor severely limits the applicability of metrics, for instance in comparing performance across domains. The prestige attached to them may be said to relate to a 'quantifiability fallacy', the erroneous belief that if a conclusion is reached by quantitative measurement, it must be vindicated, irrespective of what parameters or purpose the investigation is supposed to have.

In business, they are sometimes referred to as key performance indicators, such as overall equipment effectiveness, or key risk indicators. In the field of Facilities Management, a key metric is the Facility Condition Index, or FCI.

For a measure to be a metric it has to satisfy four properties: 1) non-negativity, 2) reflexivity, 3) symmetry, and 4) triangular inequality

Metric is a Canadian rock band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band consists of Emily Haines (lead vocals, synthesizers, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, piano), James Shaw (guitar, synthesizers, theremin, backing vocals), Joshua Winstead (bass, synthesizers, backing vocals) and Joules Scott-Key (drums, percussion). Although the band is Canadian, Emily was born in India and Joshua is American. The band started in 1998 as a duo formed by Haines and Shaw with the name "Mainstream". After releasing an EP titled Mainstream EP, they changed the band's name to Metric, after a sound that was programmed by Shaw on his keyboard. In 2001, Winstead and Scott-Key joined them.

Their first official studio album, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, was released on September 2, 2003. It was followed by Live It Out, released on October 4, 2005. The album was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the "Canadian Album of the Year" and for the 2006 Juno Awards for "Best Alternative Album". Their third studio album, Grow Up and Blow Away, was recorded in 2001 and it was initially planned as their debut album. The album was delayed for many years and it was finally released on June 26, 2007, with some changes to the track list. Some songs were also slightly reworked.

Metric's fourth album Fantasies was released on April 7, 2009. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for "Canadian Album of the Year", and won the "Alternative Album of the Year" at the 2010 Juno Awards. Metric won as well in 2010 "Group of the Year". The fifth Metric studio album, Synthetica, was released on June 12, 2012. The band won two awards at 2013 Juno Awards: "Alternative Album of the Year" for Synthetica and "Producer of the Year" for James Shaw. The art director/designer/photographer Justin Broadbent also won an award for "Recording Package of the Year" for Synthetica. Metric's sixth album, Pagans in Vegas, was released on September 18, 2015.

In mathematics, a metric or distance function is a function that defines a distance between each pair of elements of a set. A set with a metric is called a metric space. A metric induces a topology on a set, but not all topologies can be generated by a metric. A topological space whose topology can be described by a metric is called metrizable.

An important source of metrics in differential geometry are metric tensors, bilinear forms that may be defined from the tangent vectors of a differentiable manifold onto a scalar. A metric tensor allows distances along curves to be determined through integration, and thus determines a metric. However, not every metric comes from a metric tensor in this way.