1. Converting Standard Measurements
How easy is this???
Converting Standard Measurements
There has to be a better way…
Smaller Unit
Larger Unit
12 inches
1 foot
3 feet
1 yard
1760 yards
1 mile
5280 feet
63,360 inches

2. Using the S.I. Units Metric System
S.I. units are so easy to work with because they are based on multiples of 10!

3. the S.I. Units The S.I. units stand for in French
“Système international d'unités ”
We just say “The International System of Units”
S.I. units are the same as the metric system units.

4. In The Metric System… There is one basic unit for…
Length (meter)
Volume (liter)
Mass (gram)
Each smaller unit is easy to convert to the larger unit and vice versa!
This chart can be used for each of the basic units
The values do not change for liters…
Or Grams!
Smaller Unit
Larger Unit
1000 grams
1 kilogram
100 grams
1 hectogram
10 grams
1 decagram
10 decigrams
1 gram
100 centigrams
1000 milligrams
Smaller Unit
Larger Unit
1000 meter
1 kilometer
100 meter
1 hectometer
10 meter
1 decameter
10 decimeters
1 meter
100 centimeters
1000 millimeters
Smaller Unit
Larger Unit
1000 liter
1 kiloliter
100 liter
1 hectoliter
10 liter
1 decaliter
10 deciliters
1 liter
100 centiliters
1000 milliliters

5. Using the Metric System is easy!!!
To simplify things, very large and very small objects are expressed as multiples of ten of the base unit
For example…The Nile River is 6,650,000 meters long, or “6,650 thousand” meters long
Instead of saying this, insert the prefix "kilo" (meaning 1,000) to the base unit "meter" to give us “6,650 kilometers”
Metric prefixes can be used with any base unit
For example…
A kilometer is 1,000 meters
A kilogram is 1,000 grams
A kiloliter is 1,000 liters

6. Using the Metric System is easy!!!
Base the subunit you use on whichever is closest to the size of the object you are measuring
It wouldn't make sense to measure your weight in grams for the same reason that you wouldn't measure it in ounces - the unit is too small
You would express your weight in a unit that makes sense, in this case: kilograms, because 1 kilogram is equal to 1000 grams
(1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs)
1 kilogram
1000 grams
They are the same!

7. Common Metric Prefixes
How do I do it?
Common Metric Prefixes
Unit Multiples
kilo- k
1000
hecto- h
100
Deca-or Deka da 10
basic unit
(m, L, g) 1
deci- d
0.1
(1/10)
centi- c
0.01
(1/100)
milli- m
0.001
(1/1000)
The metric system is called a decimal-based system because it is based on multiples of ten
Six common prefixes used in the metric system are listed as follows…

8. NOTES: The Metric Ladder Metric Prefixes
Step 1: Determine if you are converting to a larger or smaller unit.
Going up the ladder  move decimal left (1 cm = 0.1 dm)
Going down the ladder  move the decimal right (1 cm = 10 mm)
Step 2: Decide how many spaces up or down the ladder you need to move.
Step 3: Move your decimal point that many spaces.

9. Moving to the Right
Practice Problem: How many centimeters are in 1 meter?
Step 1: You know the larger unit (meters). You don’t know the smaller unit (centimeters). This means you will be converting to a smaller unit. (Move the decimal point to the right)
Step 2: Looking at the ladder, you see that from the meter  centimeter there are 2 steps, or 2 decimal points.
Step 3: Move your decimal point 2 place values (1.000 meters  decimeter  centimeters)
Therefore, 1 meter = 100 centimeters.

10. Moving to the Left
Practice Problem: How many meters are in 1 centimeter?
Step 1: You know the smaller unit (centimeters). You don’t know the larger unit (meters). This means you will be converting to a larger unit.(Move the decimal point to the left)
Step 2: Looking at the ladder, you see that there are 2 steps, or 2 decimal points, from the centimeter to the meter.
Step 3: Move your decimal point 2 place values (1.0  0.1  0.01)
Therefore, 1 centimeter = 0.01 meters

11. How Can I Remember the Order of the Metric System
How Can I Remember the Order of the Metric System? Try a Metric Ladder Mnemonic!
Kilo-
Hecto-
Deca-
BASIC UNIT
Deci-
Centi-
Milli-
Kittens
Hate
Dogs
BECAUSE
Can’t
Meow
Other mnemonics…
Kids have dropped over dead converting metrics
King Hector died by drinking chocolate milk

12. Homework Problems How many meters are in 1 kilometer?
How many milligrams are in 1 gram?
How many grams are in a dekagram?
How many meters are in a centimeter?
Questions to ask yourself:
Are you going to a smaller or larger unit?
Which way will you move the decimal? (smaller-right; larger-left)
How many spaces do I move? (Use the Metric Ladder to help)

13. Accelerated Bellwork: Wednesday 9/2/09
Reminder (Do in this order! )
Get your “Bellwork” from the table as you enter
Place your homework in a pile in the center of your table
Write your objective/homework in your Agenda
Begin your Bellwork
Solve the following conversions:
75 meters = _____ centimeters
30 centimeters = _____ millimeters
10 meters = _____ hectometers
150 centimeters = _____ meters
5 hectometers = _____ kilometers

14. Accelerated Solutions
75 meters = 7500 centimeters
30 centimeters = 300 millimeters
10 meters = 0.1 hectometers
150 centimeters = 1.5 meters
5 hectometers = 0.5 kilometers

15. Science 8 Bellwork: Wednesday 9/2/09
Reminder (Do in this order! )
Get your “Bellwork” from the table as you enter
Place your homework in a pile in the center of your table
Write your objective/homework in your Agenda
Begin your Bellwork
Solve the following conversion problems:
1 meter = _____ centimeters
5 meters = _____ millimeters
10 meters = _____ hectometers
2 kilometers = _____ meters
6000 meters = _____ kilometers

16. Science 8 Solutions 1 meter = 100 centimeters
5 meters = 5000 millimeters
10 meters = 0.1 hectometers
2 kilometers = 2000 meters
6000 meters = 6 kilometers

17. Homework Answers How many meters are in 1 kilometer?
1 kilometer  1000 meters
How many milligrams are in 1 gram?
1 gram  1000 milligrams
How many grams are in a dekagram?
1 dekagram  10 grams
How many meters are in a centimeter?
1 centimeter  0.01 meters

18. Further Practice Problems
5.6 kg = ____ g
2000 L = _____ ml
60.2 dam = _____ dm
7,100 m = _____ km
Questions to ask yourself:
Are you going to a smaller or larger unit?
Which way will you move the decimal? (smaller-right; larger-left)
How many spaces do I move? (Use the Metric Ladder to help)

19. Answers:
5.6 kg = 5,600 g
2000 L = 2,000,000,000 ml
60.2 dam = 6,020 dm
7100 m = 7.1 km

20. Practice Problems
Use the next minutes to complete the Metric Conversion worksheets

21. Metric Mania!
This relay game will help you practice your conversion skills
Everyone must participate!
How to Play:
When it is your turn, you will come to the front of the classroom and grab a card
When you correctly convert the units, write the answer on the board, and if you are correct, you may return to your seat and send up the next member of your team
The first team to complete all of the conversions WINS!