1. Meters, Grams and Liters
The Metric System
Meters, Grams and Liters

2. The Metric System
The metric system is a measurement system based on our decimal (base 10) number system.
Other countries and all scientists and engineers use the metric system for measurement.

3. Metric Prefixes Prefix Symbol Factor Number Factor Word Kilo- k 1000
Metric Units
The metric system has prefix modifiers that are multiples of 10.
Prefix
Symbol
Factor Number
Factor Word
Kilo- k
1000
Thousand
Hecto- h
100
Hundred
Deca-
da or dk 10
Ten
Unit
m, l, or g 1
One
Deci- d .1
Tenth
Centi- c
.01
Hundredth
Milli- m
.001
thousandth

4. Meters Meters measure length or distance
One millimeter is about the thickness of a dime.

5. Meters One centimeter is about the width of a large paper clip
or your fingernail.

6. Meters
A meter is about the width of a doorway

7. Meters A kilometer is about six city blocks or 10 football fields.
1.6 kilometers is about 1 mile

8. Gram
Grams are used to measure mass or the weight of an object.

9. Grams
A milligram weighs about as much as a grain of salt.

10. Grams 1 gram weighs about as much as a small paper clip.
1 kilogram weighs about as much as 6 apples or 2 pounds.

11. Liters
Liters measure liquids or capacity.
2 Liter Soda

12. Liter
1 milliliter is about the amount of one drop

13. Liter
1 liter is half of a 2 liter bottle of Coke or other soda

14. What unit would you
use to measure each of
the following items?

15. Which unit would you use to measure the length of this bicycle?
km m cm mm

16. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of a penny?
km g cL mg

17. Which unit would you use to measure the water in an aquarium?
L m cL mg

18. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of a feather?
L m cL mg

19. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of a student desk?
kg g cL mg

20. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of a whole watermelon?
kg g cL mg

21. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of an egg?
kg g mm mg

22. Which unit would you use to measure a can of soup?
kL L mm mL

23. Which unit would you use to measure this glass of milk?
kL L cL mL

24. Which unit would you use to measure the distance across Kansas?
km m cm mL

25. Which unit would you use to measure the height of a tree?
km m cm mm

26. Which unit would you use to measure the length of a bracelet?
km m cm mm

27. Changing Metric Units
To change from one unit to another in the metric system you simply multiply or divide by a power of 10.

28. Place Values of Metric Prefixes
Move the decimal point to the right to multiply.
Move the decimal point to the left to divide.

29. Commonly used Metric Units of Length, Mass and Volume
Length mm cm  m  km (small) (big) Mass Mg  g  kg (small) (Big) Volume mL  L (small) (Big)

30. To change from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you need to multiply.
km  m (x 1000)
1000 m = 1 km
m cm (x 100)
100 cm = 1 m
cm mm (x 10)
10 mm = 1 cm
Length
Example-
15 km = ____m
15 x 1000 = 15,000 m

31. Mass g  mg (x 1000) 1,000 mg = 1kg kg  g (x 1000) 1,000 g = 1kg Example- 9 g = ____ mg 9 x 1000 = 9,000 mg

32. Volume L  mL (x 1000) 1,000 mL = 1 L Example- 60 L = ___ mL 60 x 1000 = 60,000 mL

33. To change from smaller units to larger units you divide by a power of ten.
Length
Example-
50 cm = ____ m
50 ÷ 100 = .5 m
75 mm = ___ cm
75 ÷ 10 = 7.5 cm
mm  cm (÷ 10)
10 mm = 1 cm
cm  m (÷ 100)
100 cm = 1m
m  km (÷ 1000)
1,000 m = 1km

34. Mass mg  g (÷ 1000) 1,000 mg = 1kg g  kg (÷ 1000) 1,000 g = 1kg Example- 600 mg = ____ g 600 ÷ 1000 = .6 g

35. Volume mL  L (÷ 1000) 1,000 mL = 1 L Example- 500 mL = ____ L 500 ÷ 1000 = .5 L

36. Setting up a Proportion or Conversion Ratio
60 cm = ____ m
-Write your conversion factor
100 cm = 1 m
-Set up your proportion/conversion ratio
60 cm X
-Cross multiply and solve for X X = 60
100 cm = 1 m
60 cm X X = .6 m