METRIC SYSTEM AND CONVERSION Count Up to Six and Know Your Left From Your Right

The Metric System Measurement TypeBasic Metric UnitSymbol LengthMeterm MassGramg TemperatureDegree°C AreaMeters squaredm2m2 VolumeMeters cubedm3m3 DensityGrams/Meters cubedρ

What are Metric Conversions? 4 Sometimes we need to change from one measurement to another because: 4 The unit that is used is either too big or too small for the type of measurement being done… Or 4 To do mathematical equations, the units must be the same. –Example: cm + cm, g x g, m 3 /m 3

TOO BIG !!! 525,568 millimeters (mm) This number is large, measured with very small units. If you are trying to measure a long distance, this unit is not appropriate. Reduce the size of the number to make the concept easier to analyze or process.

Too Small km This number is small, measured with very large units. If you are trying to measure a short distance, this unit is not appropriate. Increase the size of the number to make the concept easier to analyze or process.

How Do We Fix This Problem? We can correct these problems by doing a process called Metric Conversion. When you do a Metric Conversion, you are changing from one unit of measurement to another.

So How Do I Do A Metric Conversion? We will be using a method called The Stair- step Method of Metric Conversion. It requires two things; one, that you be able to count to 6, and two, that you know your left from your right.

The Stair-step Kilo-(k) Hecto-(h) Deka-(da) base units Deci-(d) Centi-(c) Milli-(m) Grams, liters,meters

How Do I Use This? The first letter of the prefix in the unit of measurement tells you which step to start on. The first letter in the second unit of measurement tells you which step to stop on. Find which step to start on, and count the number of steps it takes to get to the step that you need to stop on. If you went to the right(downstairs) the decimal in the first measurement moves that many places to the right. If you went to the left (upstairs) then the decimal moves to the left. Fill any empty places with zeros.

How Do I Use This (cont.)? If there is only one letter in the unit of measurement, then you start or stop on the base unit step. Now let’s look at our examples…..

mm = ? m Millimeters are a very small amount of distance. You would not want to measure a large distance in a very small unit. To make the conversion, we start on the milli- step and go three steps to the left to get to the meter step. Therefore, the decimal in mm moves three places to the left, becoming m.

km = ? m Kilometers are a fairly large unit of distance. You would not want to measure a small distance in a large unit, so we need to convert it to a smaller unit, the meter. We would start on the Kilo- step and move three steps to the right this time, ending on the meter (base unit) step. Therefore, km becomes 6.54 m.