Metric and Imperial Measures

Most common units of measurement

Length Weight
Metric Imperial Metric Imperial
Millimetres (mm) Inches (in) Milligrams (mg) Ounces (oz)
Centimetres (cm) Feet (ft) Grams (g) Pounds (lb)
Meters (m) Yards (yd) Kilograms (kg) Stones (st)
Kilometres (km) Miles (M) Tonnes (t) Tons (t)

Capacity
Metric Imperial
Millilitres (ml) Fluid ounces (fl oz)
Centilitres (cl) Pints (pt)
Litres (l) Gallons (gal)

Metric and Imperial Units

Length Weight Capacity

10 mm = 1 cm 1000 mg = 1 g 10 ml = 1 cl
Metric 100 cm = 1 m 1000 g = 1 kg 100 cl = 1 litre
1000 m = 1 km 1000 kg = 1 tonne 1000 cm3 = 1 litre
12 in = 1 ft 16 oz = 1 lb 20 fl oz = 1 pint
Imperial 3 ft = 1 yd 14lb = 1 stone 8 pints = 1 gallon
1760 yd = 1 mile

Conversion Table

Length Weight Capacity

Metric Imperial Metric Imperial Metric Imperial
2.5 cm = 1 in 25 g = 1 oz 1 litre = 1 ¾ pint
30 cm = 1 ft 1 kg = 2.2 lb 4.5 litre = 1 gallon
1m = 39 in
8 km = 5 miles
Example:

Charlotte is 5 foot 4 inches tall. What is her height in metres?

Solution:

1 foot = 30 cm therefore 5 feet = 5 x 30 = 150 cm

1 inch is 2.5 cm therefore 4 inches = 4 x 2.5 = 10 cm

Total height = 150 + 10 = 160 cm = 1.6 metres

Compound Measures

A compound measures is a measure that relies on two other measures, an example of a

compound measure is speed. The units most commonly used for speed are metres per
second (m/s), kilometres per hour (km/h) and miles per hour (mph).

Formulas for calculating speed, distance and time:

Distance Distance
Speed = Time =
Time Speed

Distance = speed x time

Example:

A car travels at a speed of 60 mph. What speed is the car travelling at in km per hour?

Solution:

5 miles = 8 kilometres

1 mile = 8/5 = 1.6 kilometres

Therefore 1 mile is equivalent to 1.6 kilometres

60mph = 60 (number of miles) x 1.6 (number of kilometres per mile) = 96 km per hour