Metric System

The metric system was created over 200 years ago.

Before that, different countries used different

measurement systems. It was very confusing!

In 1799, scientists in France

FRANCE
developed a universal
system of measurement.

It was a system based

on multiples of 10.
Measurement
Part 1: The SI System
Liquid Volume
LARGER kiloliter
UNIT (kL)

Volume is defined as the

amount of space a liquid
BASE SI liter
occupies.
UNIT (L)

The base SI unit for volume

is the liter (L).

1 L is roughly the volume of SMALLER milliliter

UNIT (mL)
a small milk carton.
Metric System
The metric system was created over 200 years ago.

Before that, different countries used different

measurement systems. It was very confusing!

Over time, every country

began adopting the metric
system.

By the 1970s, only one

major country did not use
UNITED
STATES
the metric system.
Terms of Use
Metric Countries
Countries who do not use the metric system
Metric Countries
Countries who do not use the metric system
UNITED KINGDOM (MIXED)

UNITED
STATES

LIBERIA MYANMA
R
United States
What system does the United States use?

The United States uses The rest of the world

customary units. uses metric units:

length foot length meter

mass pounds mass gram
volume (s) cubic ft volume (s) cubic cm
volume (l) quarts volume (l) liter
temperature Fahrenheit temperature Celsius
SI System
The metric system has been upgraded to SI.

The Systèm international (international system) or SI is

the more modern form of the metric system.

It is the only system with

official status in every
country of the world.

All scientists and medical

professionals use SI, even in
the U.S.
Benefits of SI System
The metric system has been upgraded to SI.

The SI system is the simplest measurement

system to learn and to use everyday.

METRIC SYSTEM CUSTOMARY SYSTEM

Much fewer units (30) Many units (>100)
Based on natural world Based on humans, etc.
Only multiples of 10 Many conversion factors
Used by all scientists Used by relatively few
Length
LARGER kilometer
UNIT (km)

Length is defined as the

distance measured between
BASE SI meter
two points.
UNIT (m)

The base SI unit for length is

the meter (m).

1 m is roughly the height SMALLER millimeter

UNIT (mm)
of a doorknob.
Length

Length is defined as the

distance measured between
two points.

The base SI unit for length is

the meter (m).

1 m is roughly the
height of a doorknob.
Mass
LARGER metric ton
UNIT (t)

Mass is defined as the

amount of matter contained
BASE SI kilogram
in an object.
UNIT (kg)

The base SI unit for mass is

the kilogram (kg).

1 kg is roughly the mass of a SMALLER gram

UNIT (g)
regular dictionary.
Mass

Mass is defined as the

amount of matter contained
in an object.

The base SI unit for mass is

the kilogram (kg).

1 kg is roughly the mass of a

regular dictionary.
Solid Volume

Volume is defined as the

amount of space an object W L
occupies.
V=LxWxH
The base SI unit for volume is
the cubic meter (m3). V = (m) x (m) x (m)

1 m3 is roughly the volume V = m3

of a dishwasher.
Solid Volume
LARGER cubic kilometer
UNIT (km3)

Volume is defined as the

amount of space an object
BASE SI cubic meter
occupies.
UNIT (m3)

The base SI unit for volume is

the cubic meter (m3).

1 m3 is roughly the volume SMALLER cubic centimeter

UNIT (cm3)
of a dishwasher.
Temperature

Temperature is the average

kinetic energy of particles in a
BASE SI Kevin
substance.
UNIT (K)

The base SI unit for temperature

is the Kelvin (K).

Degrees Celsius (oC) is also COMMON Celsius

commonly used. UNIT (oC)
Time
LARGER minute
UNIT (min)

Time is defined as the

interval between two
BASE SI second
different events.
UNIT (s)

The base SI unit for time is

the second (s).

1s is roughly the time to SMALLER millisecond

UNIT (ms)
take a regular breath.
Temperature

Temperature is the average

kinetic energy of particles in a
substance.

The base SI unit for temperature

is the Kelvin (K).

Degrees Celsius (oC) is also

commonly used.
Any Questions?
Prefixes
The SI system uses a series of prefixes.

Prefixes are simple words that change the meaning of

the word that follows them.

Prefixes are used commonly

in math.
TRIANGLE (3) PENTAGON (5)
Example: how many sides in
a triangle, a pentagon,
hexagon and an octagon?
HEXAGON (6) OCTAGON (8)
Measurement
Part 2: Metric Conversions
Prefixes
The SI system uses a series of prefixes.

Prefixes are simple words that change the meaning of

the word that follows them.

In SI, prefixes are used to LARGER

kilometer (km)
UNIT
describe how many times
larger or smaller one
BASE meter
measurement unit is from UNIT (m)
the base unit.
SMALLER millimeter
Let’s try an example… UNIT (mm)
Example: Mass
kilogram kg 1000 grams

hectogram hg 100 grams

dekagram dag 10 grams

gram g 1 gram

decigram dg 0.1 grams

centigram cg 0.01 grams

milligram mg 0.001 grams

Metric Conversions
Converting between units in SI is straightforward.

Since the SI is based on multiples of 10, each unit

differs from another unit by a factor of 10.

There are 2 major methods used to convert

between different SI units:

LINEAR CONVERSION
METHOD FACTOR METHOD
Example: Length
kilometer km 1000 meters

hectometer hm 100 meters

dekameter dm 10 meters

meter m 1 meter

decimeter dm 0.1 meters

centimeter cm 0.01 meters

millimeter mm 0.001 meters

Linear Method
The linear method involves moving the decimal.

KILO HECTO DEKA BASE DECI CENTI MILLI

(k) (h) (da) (b) (d) (c) (m)
1000 100 10 1 .1 .01 .001
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk

To convert between units using the linear

method, one must answer two questions:

How many places to Which direction to

move the decimal? move the decimal?
Step 1
150 cm = _______ km

KILO HECTO DEKA BASE DECI CENTI MILLI

(k) (h) (da) (b) (d) (c) (m)
1000 100 10 1 .1 .01 .001

5 TO THE
PLACES RIGHT

How many places to Which direction to

move the decimal? move the decimal?

Now, simply move the decimal in the starting

value 5 places to the right…
Step 2
150 cm = _______ km

Move decimal 5 Fill in any empty Add a 0 in front Record the

places to the right spaces with 0s of the decimal final answer

0.00150.
150. cm
.00150. cm
5 4 3 2 1

150 cm = 0.00150 km

It really is that straightforward!

Conversion Factor Method
There are several limitations to the linear method.

It can’t easily convert units that aren’t multiples of 10

(e.g. time) or units with 2+ variables (e.g. km/h).

With these types of metric conversions, the conversion

factor method is better suited.

LINEAR CONVERSION
METHOD FACTOR METHOD
Conversion Factor Method
The conversion factor method is more advanced.

It involves creating a conversion factor in the form of a

fraction that converts between units.

EXAMPLE
A conversion factor is a :
multiplier that changes a
value expressed in one set 1m
80 cm x = ____ m
of units into an equivalent 100 cm
expressed in another set of
units. STARTING
UNITS
CONVERSIO
N
FINAL
UNITS
FACTOR
Step 1
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 1
In order, write (A) the original value and its starting units; (B) a multiplication
sign; (C) a fraction bar for the conversion factor; (D) an equals sign; (E) a
space for the answer followed by the final units.

80 cm x ________ = _____ m

ORIGINAL MULTIPLICATI FRACTION EQUALS SPACE FOR FINAL

VALUE & ON SIGN BAR FOR SIGN VALUE & UNITS
Step 2
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 2
Write the original unit on the opposite side of the fraction bar so that it can be
cancelled out later. In this case, since 80 cm is a whole number and in the
numerator, write “cm” in the denominator.

80 cm x ________ = _____ m
1 cm
SAME UNITS NOW ON
OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE
Step 3
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 3
Write the final measurement unit you want to convert to on the opposite side of
the conversion factor. In this case, since “cm” is in the denominator then “m”
should be placed in the numerator.

FINAL UNITS ON
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE
FRACTION

m = _____ m
80 cm x ________
cm
Step 4
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 4
In the conversion factor fraction, examine the two units and determine which
unit is larger. In front of the larger unit, write a “1”. In this case, since (m) is a
larger unit than (cm) a “1” is placed in front of (m).

A “1” IS PLACED IN
FRONT OF LARGER
UNIT

1 m = _____ m
80 cm x ________
cm
Step 5
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 5
To complete the conversion factor, determine how many of the smaller units are
needed to equal 1 of the larger unit and record. In this case, 100 cm is equal 1
m, so “100” is written in the denominator.

1 m = _____ m
80 cm x ________
100 cm
“100” IS PLACED IN NOTE: YOU MAY NEED TO
FRONT OF SMALLER LOOK THIS UP IN A
Step 6
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 6
Multiply the original value and starting units by the conversion factor by
multiplying straight across. The original units will cancel out. In this case, the
“cm” cancel out and the fraction becomes 80/100.

MULTIPLY STRAIGHT ACROSS THE CONVERSION FACTOR FRACTION

1 m = _____ m
80 cm x ________
1 100 cm
Step 6
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 6
Multiply the original value and starting units by the conversion factor by
multiplying straight across. The original units will cancel out. In this case, the
“cm” cancel out and the fraction becomes 80/100.

MULTIPLY STRAIGHT ACROSS THE CONVERSION FACTOR FRACTION

80 m = _____ m
80 cm x ________
1 100 cm
UNITS CANCEL AS THEY ARE
ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF
Step 7
80 cm = _______ m

STEP 7
Write down your final value as a whole number (not a fraction) with the final
units in the space provided. Check your work for accuracy. In this case, 80/100
is equal to 0.80, so 80 cm is equal to 0.80 m.

80 m = _____
80 cm x ________ 0.80m
100 cm
CONVERTED VALUE
WITH FINAL UNITS
Any Questions?
Measurement
Quiz: Measuring Length
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Measurement
Quiz: The Answers
Question 1

7.0 cm
Question 2

4.8 cm
Question 3

2.2 cm
Question 4

8.4 cm
Question 5

0.6 m
Any Questions?
Measurement
Quiz: Measuring Fluid Volume
Question 1

60

55

50

45

40
Question 2

60

55

50

45

40
Question 3

70

60

50

40

30
Question 4

70

60

50

40

30
Question 5

40

30

20
Measurement
Quiz: The Answers
Question 1

60

55

50 50 mL
45

40
Question 2

60

55

50 56 mL
45

40
Question 3

70

60

50 64 mL
40

30
Question 4

70

60

50 34 mL
40

30
Question 5

40

30 27.5 mL

20
Any Questions?
Measurement
Quiz: Measuring Temperature
Question 1

80

70

60
Question 2

80

70

60
Question 3

20

10

0
Question 4

70

50

30
Question 5

30

20

10

10
Measurement
Quiz: The Answers
Question 1

80

70 75 C
o

60
Question 2

80

70 63 C
o

60
Question 3

20

10 2 C
o

0
Question 4

70

50 57 C
o

30
Question 5

30

20

10 -10 C
o

10
Any Questions?