1. Created by: David L. Bricker Math in Action
Metric System
Created by: David L. Bricker Math in Action

2. the order of the metric units:
Here's a saying to help
you remember
the order of the metric units:

3. Milly, Lily & Grace Drink
King Henry's Daughters,
Milly, Lily & Grace Drink
Chocolate Milk.
Make sure you click slowing through this slide to allow time for the metric measurements to appear at the bottom of the slide.
Hectometer
Millimeter
Kilometer
Centimeter
Dekameter
Decimeter
Meter

4. Kilo Hecto Deca Meter/Liter/Gram Deci Centi Milli King Henry's
Daughter
Deca
Millie/Lily/Grace
Meter/Liter/Gram
Drinks
Deci
Chocolate
Centi
Milk
Milli

5. Powers of 10
1 meter =
10 decimeters =
100 centimeters =
1000 millimeters

6. Metric System
Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters so it takes more millimeters for the same length
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
Example not to scale 40 41
1 mm 40 41
1 cm

7. previous smaller unit to equal
It always takes 10 of the
previous smaller unit to equal
one of the next larger.

8. Metric System The three prefixes that we will use the most are:
Kilo, which means X 1000
Centi, which means X .01
Milli, which means X .001
kilo
hecto
deca
Base Units
meter
gram
liter
deci
centi
milli

9. Metric System
The metric system is based on a base unit that corresponds to a certain kind of measurement
Length = meter
Volume = liter
Weight (Mass) = gram
Prefixes plus base units make up the metric system
Example:
Centi + liter = Centiliter = 1/100 of a liter
Kilo + liter = Kiloliter = 1000 liters

10. English vs. Metric Units: length measures distance
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
1 yard < 1 meter
1 mile = km

11. English vs. Metric Units
Which is longer?
1 mile or 1 kilometer
1 yard or 1 meter
C. 1 inch or 1 centimeter
1.6 kilometers
1 mile
1 yard = meters
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

12. Metric Length km m cm mm
The basic unit of length in the metric system in the meter
and is represented by a lowercase m.
Metric Units
1 Kilometer (km) = 1000 meters
1 Meter = 100 Centimeters (cm)
1 Meter = 1000 Millimeters (mm)
Click the image to watch a short video about the meter.
Which is larger?
A. 1 meter or 105 centimeters
B. 4 kilometers or 4400 meters
C. 12 centimeters or 102 millimeters
D millimeters or 1 meter

13. Measuring Length How many millimeters are in 1 centimeter?
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
What is the length of the line in centimeters? _______cm
What is the length of the line in millimeters? _______mm
What is the length of the line to the nearest centimeter? ________cm
HINT: Round to the nearest centimeter – no decimals.

14. English vs. Metric Units: Mass/Weight measures heaviness
1 ounce of gold = 28,349.5 milligrams
1 pound = grams
220 pounds = 100 kilograms

15. English vs. Metric Units
1 pound = grams
Which is larger?
1. 1 Pound or 100 Grams
2. 1 Kilogram or 1 Pound
3. 1 Ounce or 1000 Milligrams
100 kilograms = 220 pounds
1 ounce of gold = 28,349.5 milligrams

16. Metric Mass kg g cg mg
Kilogram Prototype
Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object.
The base unit of mass in the metric system in the kilogram and is represented by kg.
Standard: 1 kilogram is equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK), a platinum-iridium cylinder kept by the BIPM at Sèvres, France.
Metric Units
1 Kilogram (km) = 1000 Grams (g)
1 Gram (g) = 1000 Milligrams (mg)
Which is larger?
A. 1 kilogram or 1500 grams
B milligrams or 1 gram
C. 12 milligrams or 12 kilograms
D. 4 kilograms or 4500 grams
Kilogram Prototype Image -

17. Metric System
So if you needed to measure mass you would choose gram as your base unit:
Mass a gallon of milk (about 8 pounds)
3800 grams (or 3.8 kilograms)
Mass of a tennis ball
57 grams
Mass of a bowling ball
7500 grams (or 7.5 kg)

18. English vs. Metric Units
Which is larger?
A. 1 liter or 1 gallon
B. 1 liter or 1 quart
C. 1 milliliter or 1 fluid ounce
1 fl oz = ml
1 12-oz can of soda would equal approximately 355 ml.
1 gallon = 3.79 liters
It would take approximately 3 ¾ 1-liter bottles to equal a gallon.
1 quart = liters

19. English vs. Metric Units: volume measures amount of space
1 quart = liters
1 fluid ounce = mil
1 gallon = 3.78 liters

20. Metric Volume kL cL mL L
Volume is the amount of space an object takes up.
The base unit of volume in the metric system in the liter and is represented by L or l.
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
The metric system relates liquid and solid volume.
One cubic centimeter equals 1 milliliter.
Which is larger?
Click the image to watch a short video about volume.
A. 1 liter or 1500 milliliters
B. 200 milliliters or 1.2 liters
C. 12 cm3 or 1.2 milliliters*

21. What causes the meniscus?
Measuring Volume
We will be using graduated cylinders to find the volume of liquids and other objects.
Read the measurement based on the bottom of the meniscus or curve. When using a real cylinder, make sure you are eye-level with the level of the water.
What is the volume of water in the cylinder? _____mL
What causes the meniscus?
A concave meniscus occurs when the molecules of the liquid attract those of the container. The glass attracts the water on the sides.

22. Measuring Liquid Volume
What is the volume of water in each cylinder?
Images created at A B C
Pay attention to the units on the scale for each cylinder.

23. Measuring Solid Volume
10 cm
9 cm
8 cm
We can measure the volume of regular object using the formula length x width x height.
_____ X _____ X _____ = _____
We can measure the volume of irregular object using water displacement.
Amount of H2O with object = ______ About of H2O without object = ______ Difference = Volume = ______

24. Metric System
These prefixes are based on powers of 10. What does this mean?
From each prefix every “step” is either:
10 times larger or
10 times smaller
For example
Centimeters are 10 times larger than millimeters
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
kilo
hecto
deca
Base Units
meter
gram
liter
deci
centi
milli

25. This is a magnified image of a ruler/meter stick.1 2 3 4
This is one millimeter.

26. This key measures 3 cm. 1 2 3 4

27. Or you could say that it measures 30 mm.1 2 3 4

28. This key measures 2.5 cm. 1 2 3 4

29. Or, you could say that it measures 25 mm.1 2 3 4

30. This toy car measures 42 mm.1 2 3 4
This toy car measures 42 mm.

31. Or, you could say it measures 4.2 cm.1 2 3 4
Or, you could say it measures 4.2 cm.

32. Metric System
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
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

33. Metric System
An easy way to move within the metric system is by moving the decimal point one place for each “step” desired
Example: change meters to centimeters
1 meter = 10 decimeters = 100 centimeters or
1.00 meter = 10.0 decimeters = 100. centimeters
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

34. 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
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

35. Metric System Now let’s try an example from meters to kilometers:
16093 meters = ? 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
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

36. Metric System
Now let’s start from centimeters and convert to kilometers
centimeters = ? kilometers
centimeters = kilometers
5 places over
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

37. Metric System Let’s start from meters and convert to kilometers
4000 meters = 4 kilometers
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli
Start from centimeters and convert to meters
4000 centimeters = 40 meters
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

38. Metric System Let’s start from meters and convert to centimeters
5 meters = 500 centimeters
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli
Now let’s start from kilometers and convert to meters
.3 kilometers = 300 meters
kilo
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

39. 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
hecto
deca
meter
liter
gram
deci
centi
milli

40. THE END