Mnemonic Device  King (Kilo-)  Henry (Hecto-)  Dances (Deka-)  Merrily (BASE UNIT– meters)  Drinking (Deci-)  Chocolate (Centi-)  Milk (Milli-)

Metric Stair Chart

 When you move down the stairs you are multiplying by 10 for each step. Example: Example: 100 grams to milligrams, you are moving downwards on the stairs. 100 grams to milligrams, you are moving downwards on the stairs. Pretend you are standing on the gram stair and to get to the milli-gram stair, you move down 3 steps multiplying by 10 each time.Pretend you are standing on the gram stair and to get to the milli-gram stair, you move down 3 steps multiplying by 10 each time. 100 x 10 = 1,000 1,000 x 10 = 10,000 10,000 x 10 = 100, x 10 = 1,000 1,000 x 10 = 10,000 10,000 x 10 = 100,000 or 100 x 1000 = 100,000 or 100 x 1000 = 100,000 or you can use the shortcut and just move the decimal place one place to the right with each step or you can use the shortcut and just move the decimal place one place to the right with each step 100 grams = 100,000 milligrams.

 For every step upward on the chart you are dividing by 10 or moving the decimal one place to the left.. Example: To convert 1000 milligrams to grams you are moving upward on the stairs: Example: To convert 1000 milligrams to grams you are moving upward on the stairs: Pretend you are standing on the milli-gram stair and to get to the 1-gram stair, you move up 3 steps dividing by 10 each time.Pretend you are standing on the milli-gram stair and to get to the 1-gram stair, you move up 3 steps dividing by 10 each time. 1000/10 = /10 = 10 10/10 = 1 or 1000/1000 = 11000/10 = /10 = 10 10/10 = 1 or 1000/1000 = 1 or you can use the shortcut and just move the decimal place one place to the left with each step or you can use the shortcut and just move the decimal place one place to the left with each step 1000 milligrams = 1 gram.

Multiple Stairs  Going down 2 stairs– multiply by 10 for first and 10 for the second multiply by 100 total Example: 5 dekameters-->____ decimeters Example: 5 dekameters-->____ decimeters 5 x 100 = 500 decimeters5 x 100 = 500 decimeters Example: 3 meters-->____centimeters Example: 3 meters-->____centimeters 3 x 100 = 3003 x 100 = 300  Going up 3 stairs– divide by 10 for first stair, then divide 10 for second, and divide again 10 for third Example: 6 meters-->____ kilometers Example: 6 meters-->____ kilometers 6/1000= /1000= 0.006

Base Units  Length Meters Meters 1 meter is about the distance from the floor to a door knob1 meter is about the distance from the floor to a door knob  Mass Grams Grams 1 gram is about the weight of 1 large paperclip1 gram is about the weight of 1 large paperclip  Volume Liters Liters 1 liter is a little less than a full can of soda1 liter is a little less than a full can of soda

Practice…  Problems:  1.) 3 meters = ______ centimeters  2.) 40 liters = ______ dekaliters  3.) 600 milligrams = _______ grams  4.) 5 kilometers = __________ hectometers  5.) 70 centimeters = _________ meters  6.) 900 deciliters= _______ dekaliters

Answers to problems…  1.) 300 centimeters, you walked 2 steps down thereby multiplying by 100 or just add 2 zeros to the original number  2.) 4 dekaliters, you walked up one step thereby dividing by 10, or move your decimal place one place to the left.  3.) 0.6 grams, you walked up 3 steps thereby dividing by 1000, or move your decimal 3 places to the left.  4.) 40 hectometers  5.) 0.7 meters  6.) 9 dekaliters