Metric System• based on a base unit that corresponds

to a certain kind of measurement• Length = meter• Volume = liter• Weight (Mass) = gram

• Prefixes + base units make up the metric system – Example:

• Centi + meter = Centimeter• Kilo + liter = Kiloliter

• KKing (kkilo, 1,000)• HHenry (hhecto, 100)• DDied (ddeca, 10)• UUnexpectedly (UUnit of measurement• DDrinking (ddeci 1/10)• CChocolate (ccenti 1/100)• MMilk (mmilli, 1/1,000)

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

• PREFIXES are based on powers of 10. • What?

– each prefix is a step either:• 10 times larger

or

• 10 times smaller

– ex• Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters• 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters

kilo hecto deca

Base Units

metergramliter

deci centi milli

• The three prefixes that we will use the most are:– kilo– centi– milli

kilo hecto deca

Base Units

metergramliter

deci centi milli

• each “step” to right, you multiply by 10

• Each step to the left, you divide by 10

Ex.- Right direction go from a base unit to centi

1 liter = 10 deciliters = 100 centiliters

( 1 x 10 = 10) = (10 x 10 = 100)

- Left direction go from base to kilo

1000 meter =10 decameters = 100 hectameters =1 kilometer

(1000 / 10 = 100) = (100 / 10 = 10) = (10 /10= 1)

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

• moving within the metric system is by moving the DECIMAL POINT one place for each “step” desiredExample: to right change meters to centimeters

1 meter = 10 decimeters = 100 centimetersor

1.00 meter = 10.0 decimeters = 100. centimeters

to Left change liters to kiloliters

1000 liters = 100 decaliters = 10 hectaliters = 1 liters or

1000.0 liters = 100.00 decaliters = 10 hectaliters = 1 liter

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

If you move to the left in the diagram, move the decimal to the

left

• Convert from meters to kilometers4.0 kilometers= 4000.0 meters

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

• Convert centimeters to meters400.0 centimeters = 4.0 meters

If you move to the right in the diagram, move the decimal to the

right

• Convert meters to centimeters5.0 meters = 500 centimeters

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli

• Convert kilometers to meters

.3 kilometers = 300 meters

Metric System• Summary

– Base units in the metric system are meter, liter, gram

– Metric system is based on powers of 10– For conversions within the metric system, each

“step” is 1 decimal place to the right or left– Using the diagram below, converting to the right,

moves the decimal to the right and vice versa

kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gram

deci centi milli