How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?

Wondering how many teaspoons in a tablespoon? In the United States measurement system, also known as English units or the customary system, one tablespoon equals three teaspoons; in other words, one teaspoon is 1/3 of a tablespoon.

We know that one teaspoon is about 1/3 of a tablespoon. But, is there any more to know about these measurements?

The US and the Metric System

• The use of the customary system in the United States is something of an anomaly.
• The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not primarily and officially use the metric system.
• There is no straightforward, proven explanation as to why this is, but theories suggest that various commercial and business trades in the US, like carpentry and architecture, simply find the units of the customary system easier to remember than those of the metric system.
• This isn’t the most logical argument, considering it would probably be easier to remember, for example, that 100 centimeters equal a meter than it is to remember that 36 inches equal a yard.

Metrication

Metrication, which is the term used for official conversion to the metric system, is in fact taking place in the US – or at least, it’s supposed to be.

• In 1988 the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act was passed into law by the US government;
• This law designates the metric system as official and requires commercial businesses to begin putting it into use.

However, the government hasn’t been terribly strict in enforcing this process, and while it can be seen making an appearance in certain places (such as on food nutrition labels), for the most part US businesses are, thus far, sticking to their ways.