Although the metric system is used in most

Although the metric system is used in most countries of the world, it is used very little in the United States. The metric system does not use inches, feet, pounds, and so on, but its units for time and electricity are the same as those used now in the United States. An advantage of the metric system is that it is easier to convert from one unit to another within this system than within the American system. That is because the metric system is based on the number 10. The basic unit of length is the meter. It is just over 1 yard. Section 9. 2 1

Metric Units of Length 1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meters (m) 1 hectometer (hm) = 100 meters (m) 1 dekameter (dam) = 10 meters (m) 1 meter 1 decimeter (dm) = meter (m) 1 centimeter (cm) = meter (m) 1 millimeter (mm) = meter (m) 1 kilometer (1000 meters) is a bit more than ½ mile. 1 meter is just over a yard. 1 centimeter (0. 01 meter) is a little more than the width of a jumbo paperclip. 1 millimeter is about the diameter of a paperclip wire. Section 9. 2 2

Section 9. 2 3

What is the measure of each insect? 4 cm or 40 mm 6. 3 cm or 63 mm Section 9. 2 4

METRIC CONVERSIONS King Henry Drink Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Milk 7 km = _______ m 0. 547 m = _______mm Homework: Copy the problem, insert the answer, and state how many places you need to move the decimal and in what direction in order to get the answer. Problems 21, 23, 29, 31, 37 3158 m = _______km Section 9. 2 5