Mrs. Sanford’s Amazing Metric Measurement

Metric System• The metric system is based

on a base unit that corresponds to a certain kind of measurement•Length = meter•Volume = liter•Weight (Mass) = gram

length is measured in meters

a football

field

length is measured in meters

Distance to the neighbor’s house

length is measured in meters

length of a

spool of twine

length is measured in meters

width of your

bedroom

mass is measured in grams

weight of a

bunch of grapes

mass is measured in grams

weight of a your

dog

mass is measured in grams

weight of a bar of gold

volume is measured in liters

a beaker

of solution

volume is measured in liters

a bottle of water

volume is measured in liters

paint in a bucket

• Prefixes plus base units make up the metric system –Example:•Centi + meter = Centimeter•Kilo + liter = Kiloliter•Milli + gram = Milligram

Metric System

Metric System• So if you needed to measure

length you would choose meter as your base unit–Length of a tree branch•1.5 meters

–Length of a room •5 meters

–Length of a soccer field•100 meters

Metric System

• But what if you need to measure a longer distance, like from your house to school?

Let’s say you live approximately 10 miles from school

10 miles = 16093 meters 16093 is a big number, but what if you could add a prefix onto the base unit to make it easier to manage:

16093 meters = 16.093 kilometers (or 16.1 if rounded to 1 decimal place)

Metric System

• These prefixes are based on powers of 10. What does this mean?

kilo hecto deca

Base Unitsmetergramliter

deci centi milli

From each prefix every “step” is either:

10 times larger or

10 times smallerFor example

Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters1 centimeter = 10 millimeters

Metric System Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters so it takes more millimeters for the same length

1 centimeter = 10 millimeters

Example not to scale

Metric System• For each “step” to right,

you are multiplying by 10

• For each “step” to the left, you are dividing by

10kilo hecto deca

meterliter

gramdeci centi milli

Metric Conversion Mnumonic

• King (kilo, 1,000)

• Henry (hecto, 100)

• Died (deka, 10)• Unexpectedly (Unit- 1 l,

m, g)• Drinking (deci 1/10)• Chocolate (centi

1/100)• Milk (milli,

1/1,000)

MILLI0.001

CENTI0.01

KILO1000 HECT

O100

DEKA10

DECI0.1

Base Unit

Meter, Gram, Liter

To convert to a larger unit, move decimal point to the left or divide.

To convert to a smaller unit, move decimal point to the right or multiply.

How do you use the “ladder” method?

1st – Determine your starting point.2nd – Count the “jumps” to your ending point.3rd – Move the decimal the same number of jumps in the same direction.

MILLI0.001

CENTI0.01

KILO1000 HECT

O100

DEKA10

DECI0.1

Base Unit

4 km = _________ m

How many jumps does it take?Starting Point Ending Point

1 2 3 4.0 km = 4000.0 m

4000

MILLI0.001

CENTI0.01

KILO1000 HECT

O100

DEKA10

DECI0.1

Base Unit

45 g = _________ mg

How many jumps does it take?Starting Point Ending Point

1 2 3

45.0 g = 45000.0 mg

45000

MILLI0.001

CENTI0.01

KILO1000 HECT

O100

DEKA10

DECI0.1

Base Unit

3000 l = _________ hl

How many jumps does it take?Starting Point Ending Point

12 3000.0 l = 30.0 hl

30

MILLI0.001

CENTI0.01

KILO1000 HECT

O100

DEKA10

DECI0.1

Base Unit

500 m = _________ cm

How many jumps does it take?Starting Point Ending Point

1 2

500.0 m= 50000.0 cm

50,000

1000 mg = _______ g1 l = _______ ml160 cm = _______ mm 14 km = _______ m109 g = _______ kg 250 m = _______ km

Try these on your own: