Metric System Notes for August 31, 2015

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff The previously mentioned basic quantities and their appropriate units is supplemented with numerical prefixes that modify the basic units

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff The modifying prefixes represent powers of ten with a 1 degree of separation Ex. 1000 = 103  kilo- 100 = 102  hecto- 10 = 101  deka- Base unit = 100 0.1 =10-1  deci- 0.01 = 10-2  centi- 0.001 = 10-3  milli-

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff The prefixes are attached to each of the base units and modify the number of base units we have. Ex. Kilogram = 1000 grams kilometers = 1000 meters kiloliters = 1000 liters centigram = 0.01 grams milligram = 0.001 grams milliseconds = 0.001 seconds hectometers = 100 meters etc.

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff To convert from one measurement to another such as 453 millimeters to meters, you would set up the problem as follows: 453 mm = _____?____ m 453 mm x ___1 m_ = 0.453 m 1 1000 mm Or 5.693 Kg = _____?____ g 5.693 kg x 1000g = 5,693 g 1 1 kg

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff A simple tool to help you do these conversions is the following number line: +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Kx Hx Dax x dx cx mx x = meters, liters or grams To use this, you mark the value you are given and mark what you need to find and you count the number of steps you take to get there. Then you move your decimal point in the same direction, the number of steps that it takes.

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff Example #1: 987.56 mL = _______L @3<<2<<<1<<<<* +------+------+------+------+------+------+ KL HL DaL L dL cL mL Your answer will be 0.98756 L because you went 3 steps to the left , so you moved the decimal 3 places to the left.

The Metric System a system used to measure stuff Example #2: 0.00843Kg = __________ dg *>>>1>>>>2>>>3>>>>4@ +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Kg Hg Dag g dg cg mg Your answer is going to be 84.3 dg because you went 4 steps to the right, so you moved your decimal 4 places to the right.