Cups vs. Ounces for Dummies

Measuring flour using a common kitchen scale

If you're one of the people that thinks the metric system is confusing, you really should consider the mess the imperial system makes of itself. Take, for instance, the unit known as the ounce, which is used both for a unit of weight (sixteen ounces per pound) and a unit of volume (128 ounces per gallon). The confusion there is probably because the liquid measure is a "fluid ounce." but people are too lazy to say the whole phrase. Never mind that the US fluid ounce isn't the same thing as the British ounce... Anyway, when it comes to converting between ounces and another unit of volume, it helps to know which ounce you're talking about; not that Charlotte Johnson of Leaf.tv (formerly eHow.com) would be any help with her post "How to Calculate Ounces Vs. Cups."¹

Johnson, despite a masters degree in education, apparently wasn't aware that there are different kinds of ounces. That's probably why instead of simply saying, There are eight fluid ounces per cup, do the math yourself!" Charlotte needed almost 200 words to describe converting between fluid ounces and cups. Well, it could also be the site's minimum word count and required number of steps that forced her to publish crap like

Type in the number of ounces on your calculator. Press the “divide” (/) key. Type in the number “8” and press the “equal sign.” Read the answer. For instance, if you had 4 oz., you would press “4,” “/,” “8” and “=,” which would give you the answer 0.5 cups. We mean, really? Is she kidding? And what if the reader has an HP calculator? Never mind...

We noticed, did you? that Charlotte completely ignores the possibility of converting between dry weight and cups. That's a real problem, when you come right down to it: how many cups is, for instance, six ounces of flour? Well, there are plenty of conversion tables out there that will tell you that six ounces of flour is (about) 1½ cups, though it depends on whether it's all-purpose, whole wheat, or bread flour. And sugar has a different conversion factor. A better solution? Look it up by ingredient, e.g., "How many cups of sugar is 6 ounces?" Again, it depends... but about ¾ cup.

Your best bet? Get a good kitchen scale or -- now why didn't I think of that -- read the package! That's the sort of information that Johnson should have shared instead of 100 words of instructions on how to use a calculator! But Charlotte didn't, and that's why she's our Dumbass of the Day for the seventh time.

¹ The post has been deleted, and archive.org's Wayback machine never made a copy of the post. Oh, well, no loss...

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