Metric Conversion

You don’t really think I can do this??

Introduction to the Metric System:

There are four standard units of metric measurement.

1. These units will be used to measure length, volume, mass, and temperature.

a. The unit for length is the ... meter

b. The unit for volume is the ... liter.

c. The unit for mass is the … gram.

d. The unit for temperature is ... celsius.

There are prefixes that can be attached to meter, liter, and gram that will change the value of the unit making it either larger or smaller.

1. The prefix kilo- increases the standard unit by 1,000 times. 1000 meters = 1 kilometer

2. The prefix deci- decreases the standard unit by 10 times. 1 liter = 10 deciliters

3. The prefix centi- decreases the standard unit by 100 times.

1 gram = 100 centigrams

4. The prefix milli- decreases the standard unit by 1,000 times.

1 meter = 1,000 millimeters

5. The prefix micro- decreases the standard unit by1,000,000 times.

1 liter = 1,000,000 microliters

The Metric Staircase

A staircase is an excellent model of how the prefixes of metric units relate to each other.

The Metric StaircaseKilo

Hecto

Deka

Ones/Base

DeciCenti

MilliThese are the prefixes that apply to all metric units.

1,000

100

10

1

1/10 or 0.1

1/100 or 0.01

1/1000 or 0.001

Kilo Kids

Hecto Have

Deka Dropped

Ones Over

Deci Dead

Centi Changing

Milli Metrics

Here is a sentence to help you remember the prefixes.

Kilometer km

Hectometer hm

Dekameter dkm

Meter m

Decimeter dm

Centimeter cm

Millimeter mm

The standard unit of length is the meter.

Length

Larger

Kilogram kg

Hectogram hg

Dekagram dkg

Gram g

Decigram dg

Centigram cg

Milligram mg

The standard unit of mass is the gram.

Mass

Larger

Kiloliter kl

Hectoliter hl

Dekaliter dkl

Liter l

Deciliter dl

Centiliter cl

Milliliter ml

The standard unit of volume is the liter.

Volume

Larger

The Metric StaircaseKiloHecto

Deka

Ones/Base

DeciCenti

MilliThe staircase also tells us which way to move the decimal. As the unit gets smaller, you shift the decimal to the right. As the unit gets larger, the decimal shifts to the left.

The Metric StaircaseKiloHecto

Deka

Ones/Base

DeciCenti

MilliThe metric staircase is easy to use because each unit differs from the next by a factor of 10.

Units get larger as you climb. Units get smaller as you descend.

The Metric StaircaseKiloHecto

Deka

Ones/Base

DeciCenti

MilliWhen converting between units, move the decimal one place for every step taken. Move it in the direction shown on the staircase. If there is not a number in the moved place, place a zero in the spot.

km

hm

dkm

m

dm

cm

mm

Let’s use a line to represent a distance of a kilometer.

1 km=10 hm=100 dkm=? m = ? dm = ?cm= ? mm

km

hm

dkm

m

dm

cm

mm

Sample Problem:

7.359 m = ???? cm

To get from m to cm, we must take 2 steps to the right. Therefore, we must shift the decimal two places to the right.

7.359 m = 7 . 3 5 9 cmAnswer:

735.9 cm.

km

hm

dkm

m

dm

cm

mm

Sample Problem:

1200 m = ???? km

1200 m = 1 2 0 0 kmAnswer:

1.2 cm

..

45.6 cm = ?? m

45.6 cm = .456 m

4568 g = ?? kg

4568 g = 4.568 kg

9.08 l = ?? ml

9.08 l = 9,080 ml

320 mg = ?? g

320 mg = 0.320 g

1) 10 L = ?? ml

Homework

2) 123 mm = ?? cm

3) 3000 g = ?? kg

4) 1.2 kg = ?? dkg

5) 1.2 kg = ?? dg

6) 5 g = ?? mg

7) 50 g = ?? kg