Metric System based on a base unit that

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

kilo • • hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi King (kilo, 1, 000) Henry (hecto, 100) Died (deca, 10) Unexpectedly (Unit of measurement Drinking (deci 1/10) Chocolate (centi 1/100) Milk (milli, 1/1, 000) 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 Base Units kilo hecto deca meter gram liter deci centi milli

• The three prefixes that we will use the most are: – kilo – centi – milli Base Units kilo hecto deca meter gram liter 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 meter liter gram deci centi milli

• moving within the metric system is by moving the DECIMAL POINT one place for each “step” desired Example: to right change meters to centimeters 1 meter = 10 decimeters = 100 centimeters or 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 meter liter gram deci centi milli

If you move to the left in the diagram, move the decimal to the left • Convert from meters to kilometers 4. 0 kilometers= 4000. 0 meters kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli • Convert centimeters to meters 400. 0 centimeters = 4. 0 meters kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci

If you move to the right in the diagram, move the decimal to the right • Convert meters to centimeters 5. 0 meters = 500 centimeters kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli • Convert kilometers to meters. 3 kilometers = 300 meters kilo hecto deca meter liter gram

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 meter liter gram deci centi milli