Metric System (SI Units) “I’m ten times better than the Standard system of measurement!” The International System of Units, abbreviated "SI" from the French Le Système International d'Unités, is the modern form of the metric system.

Metric System The metric system is based on a base unit that corresponds to a certain type of measurement. BASE UNIT MEASURES Meter Length Liter Volume Gram Mass

Prefixes plus base units make up the metric system! Kilo - Kilo+gram = Kilogram Hecto - Hecto+liter = hectoliter Deka - Deka+gram = dekagram Deci - Deci+liter = deciliter Centi - Centi+meter = centimeter Milli - Milli+meter = milliliter

Metric System Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli-

Metric System The three prefixes that we will use the most are: Kilo = i.e. - kilometer, kilogram Centi = i.e. - centimeter, centigram Milli = i.e. - milliliter, milligram

Metric System So, if you needed to measure length you would choose ? as your base unit meter Length of a tree branch 1.5 meters Length of a room 5 meters Length of a ball of twine stretched out 25 meters

Metric System But what if you need to measure a longer distance, like from your house to school? Let’s say you live approximately 1 mile from school 1 mile = 1609 meters 1609 is a big number, but what if you add a prefix to the base unit, you make it easier to manage: 1609 meters = 1.609 kilometers

The prefixes are based on powers of 10. Metric System The prefixes are based on powers of 10. What does this mean? From each prefix every “step” in the chart is either: 10 times larger (to the right) than the base unit or 10 times smaller (to the left) than the base unit Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .10 1 10 100 1000

Metric System Because all of the unit relationships in the metric system are based on multiples of ten, it is easy to convert between units; just multiply or divide by 10! For example: Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters So.. 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .10 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters 40 41 1 mm 40 41 1 cm

Metric System For example, let’s go from a base unit to centi- For each “step” to right, you are multiplying by 10. 1 liter(base) = 10 deciliters = 100 centiliters ( 1 x 10 = 10) = (10 x 10 = 100) Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Lets Try: 2 grams = 20 decigrams = 200 centigrams 1 10 (2 x 10 = 20) = (20 x 10 = 200) Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Another way to move within the metric system is by moving the decimal point one place for each “step” desired. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 meter = 1 10 Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 m = 10.0 decimeters Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 m = 10.0 dm 1 Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 m = 10.0 dm = 100 centimeters Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 m = 10.0 dm = 100.0 centimeters Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

Metric System Example: change meters to millimeters 1.0 m = 10.0 dm = 100.0 cm = 1000 millimeters Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100

So for every “step” from the base unit to milli, we moved the decimal Metric System So for every “step” from the base unit to milli, we moved the decimal 1 place to the right. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- 1 10 100 1000

Now let’s try converting meters to kilometers. Metric System Now let’s try converting meters to kilometers. We’ll use our previous example: the distance traveled from your house to school….. 1609 meters = ? kilometers Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = ? Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = ? Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. 1609. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = ? Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. 160.9 1609. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = ? Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. 16.09 160.9 1609. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = ? Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. 1.609 16.09 160.9 1609. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System 1609 meters = 1.609 Kilometers For every “step” from the base unit to kilo, we moved the decimal 1 place to the left. 1.609 16.09 160.9 1609. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System If you move to the left (in the “steps” chart), move the decimal to the left If you move to the right (in the “steps” chart), move the decimal to the right Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

Metric System Now, let’s start from centimeters and convert to kilometers 400000 centimeters = ? 400000. centimeters = 4.00000 kilometers Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000

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 conversion chart below, converting to the right, moves the decimal to the right and vice versa. Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE UNIT Meter Gram liter Deci- Centi- Milli- .001 .01 .1 1 10 100 1000