Length: distance between two points meter (m) Mass: how much matter something has gram (g) Volume: how much space something takes up liter (L) Temperature: how warm or cold something is degrees Celsius (°C)

Prefixes + standard base unit Centi + meter = Centimeter Kilo + liter = Kiloliter

The three most common prefixes: kilo centi milli kilohectodeca Base Units m/g/L decicentimilli

Scale moves in multiplications of 10 Example: Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm) kilohectodeca Base Units m/g/L decicentimilli

Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters It takes more millimeters for the same length

For each “step” right, multiply by 10 Trick: move the decimal point one place to the right for each “step” desired Example: change meters to centimeters 1.00 meter = 10.0 decimeters = 100. centimeters kilohectodeca Base Units m decicentimilli

For each “step” left, divide by 10 Trick: move the decimal point one place to the left for each “step” desired Example: change meters to kilometers 1100 meters = decameters = 11.0 hectometers = 1.1 kilometers kilohectodeca Base Units m decicentimilli

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 kilohectodeca Base Units m/g/L decicentimilli