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2 The most common metric units of length are:  millimeter  centimeter  meter  kilometer

3 Metric Units of Length  The basic unit of length in the metric system is the meter.  All of the other metric units of length are defined in terms of the meter.

4 UnitSymbolMeaningModel

5 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimeter centimeter meter kilometer

6 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm centimeter meter kilometer

7 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 m centimeter meter kilometer

8 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimeter meter kilometer

9 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm meter kilometer

10 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 m meter kilometer

11 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meter kilometer

12 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm kilometer

13 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm1 m kilometer

14 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm1 mWidth of a doorway kilometer

15 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm1 mWidth of a doorway kilometerkm

16 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm1 mWidth of a doorway kilometerkm1000 m

17 UnitSymbolMeaningModel millimetermm0.001 mThickness of a dime centimetercm0.01 mWidth of a large paperclip meterm1 mWidth of a doorway kilometerkm1000 mAbout 2 ½ times around the track

18 Metric Units of Length  1kilometer = 1000 meters  1meter = 100 centimeters  1centimeter = 10 millimeters  1meter = 1000 millimeters

19 Which metric unit of length would be the most appropriate to measure: the distance between cities? km the length of an ant? mm the length of your math book? cm the length of the hallway? m the height of a giraffe? m

20 Metric Units of Length  To change from a large unit to a small unit - multiply Measurement Conversion  To change from a small unit to a large unit - divide

Metric System An easy way to move within the metric system is by moving the decimal point one place for each “step” desired For each “step” to right, you are multiplying by 10 Example: change meters to centimeters 1 meter = 10 decimeters = 100 centimeters or 1.00 meter = 10.0 decimeters = 100. centimeters kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli

Metric System Now let’s try our previous example from meters to kilometers: meters = decameters = hectometers = kilometers 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 hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli

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 hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli

Metric System Now let’s start from centimeters and convert to kilometers centimeters = 4 kilometers centimeters = kilometers kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli

Metric System Now let’s start from meters and convert to kilometers 4000 meters = 4 kilometers kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli Now let’s start from centimeters and convert to meters 4000 centimeters = 40 meters

Metric System Now let’s start from meters and convert to centimeters 5 meters = 500 centimeters kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli Now let’s start from kilometers and convert to meters.3 kilometers = 300 meters

Metric System Now let’s start from kilometers and convert to millimeters 4 kilometers = millimeters or 4 kilometers = 40 hectometers = 400 decameters = 4000 meters = decimeters = centimeters = millimeters kilo hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli

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 hectodeca meter liter gram deci centimilli