CONVERTING UP AND DOWN WITHIN EACH METRIC SYSTEM USING A CALCULATOR OR MOVING THE DECIMAL

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon success completion of this lesson:1. The student will understand the

metric system units for volume, weight and length.

2. Be able to convert between each unit in each metric system.

3. Develop skills to convert within each metric system using a calculator.

4. Develop skills to convert within each metric system by moving the decimal.

METRIC SYSTEMS MEASURES VOLUME

Liter (L or l) Milliliter (mL or ml) Cubic Centimeter (cc)

*Note: A cubic centimeter (cc) is often used to denote a milliliter (mL or ml)Volume: Any form of liquids

METRIC SYSTEM MEASURES WEIGHT

Kilograms (Kg) Grams (g or gm) Milligrams (mg) Micrograms(mcg)

Note: Weight is a solid

METRIC SYSTEM MEASURES LENGTH

Meter (m) Centimeter (cm) Millimeter (mm)

Note: Length is a measure of distance

USING THE CONVERSION CHART AND YOUR CALCULATOR

Volume Weight LengthL kg mmL gm cm

mg mm mcgNote: There are 1000 units between each metric measurement

When moving up each scale, you divide by 1000 on your calculator. When coming down each scale you multiple by 1000.

÷ by 1000 when going up

× by 1000 when coming down

CONVERTING WITHIN EACH METRIC SYSTEM BY MOVING THE DECIMALSample Problem: 5 kg = _______ mcg

*note: 5.0 (imaginary decimal is always at the end of each whole number)Using the metric scale, you are going down units from kilograms to micrograms.

You will be moving the imaginary decimal to the right 3 times for each unit of measurement until you reach your destination.

5. 000 000 000

gm mg mcg

Sample Problem 5mcg= _______kgMove the decimal to the left when going up the scale

0 000 000 005

Kg gm mg

LET’S TRY IT ON OUR OWN NOW

• answer = 0.025mg

25 mcg= ______mg

• answer = 0.1g

100mg=_______g

• answer = 15,600mL

15.6 L = ______mL

• answer = 0.56632L

566.32mL = _____L

• answer = 1000 mm

1m = _________mm

SUMMARY…..

We learned how to memorize the units of measurements in the metric system by associating the letters with the alphabet and other symbolic images.

We learned how to remember the conversion chart of the metric system.

We learned how to move up and down the metric scale of each metric system of measurement using either a calculator or by moving the decimal.

Questions