METRIC SYSTEM Whittaker Metric System The metric system

METRIC SYSTEM Whittaker

Metric System • The metric system is based on a base unit that corresponds to a certain kind of measurement • Length = meter • Volume = liter • Mass = gram • Prefixes plus the base units make up the metric system – Example: • Centi + meter = Centimeter • Kilo + liter = Kiloliter

Prefixes: (all are lower case letters) kilo = k = 1, 000 x base unit hecto = h = 100 x base unit deka = da = 10 x base unit deci = d =. 1 x base unit centi = c =. 01 x base unit milli = m =. 001 x base unit

King Henry Doesn’t Understand Doing Conversions of Metric! Kilo Hecta- Deka Unit: Liter, Gram, Meter Deci Centi Milli-

Metric System • These prefixes are based on powers of 10 • Each prefix / every “step” is either • 10 times larger OR 10 times smaller • For example • Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters (1 centimeter = 10 millimeters)

Metric System • If you move to the left in the diagram, move the decimal to the left • If you move to the right in the diagram, move the decimal to the right kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli

Metric System • An easy way to convert units from one to the other is by moving the decimal in the direction of the “steps” • EX: Converting 8 Meters to _____ Centimeters – Step 1 – Write 8. 0 2 – Step 2 – Move the decimal to the right ____ spots – Step 3 – Final answer is ______ Centimeters 800 kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli

Metric System • Now let’s try our previous example from meters to kilometers: 1609. 3 160. 93 16093 meters = _______decameters = ______ 16. 093 kilometers hectometers = ______ • So for every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left (the same direction as in the diagram below) kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli

kilo hecto deca meter liter gram deci centi milli