Convert and compare metric units
Key Notes :
1. Understanding Metric Units:
- The metric system is a decimal-based system of measurement.
- Common metric units include:
- Length: millimeter (mm), centimeter (cm), meter (m), kilometer (km)
- Mass: milligram (mg), gram (g), kilogram (kg)
- Volume: milliliter (mL), liter (L)
- Temperature: degrees Celsius (°C)
2. Conversion Between Metric Units:
- Metric units are based on powers of 10, so converting between them is easy.
- To convert to a larger unit (e.g., cm to m):
- Divide by 10, 100, 1000, etc., depending on the difference in size.
- Example: 100 cm = 1 m (divide by 100)
- To convert to a smaller unit (e.g., km to m):
- Multiply by 10, 100, 1000, etc.
- Example: 5 km = 5000 m (multiply by 1000)
3. Conversion Table for Quick Reference:
- Length:
- 1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meters (m)
- 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm)
- 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm)
- Mass:
- 1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
- 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)
- Volume:
- 1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
4. Converting Length:
- Example: Convert 5000 millimeters (mm) to meters (m):
- 5000 mm ÷ 1000 = 5 meters (m)
5. Converting Mass:
- Example: Convert 2.5 kilograms (kg) to grams (g):
- 2.5 kg × 1000 = 2500 grams (g)
6. Converting Volume:
- Example: Convert 350 milliliters (mL) to liters (L):
- 350 mL ÷ 1000 = 0.35 liters (L)
7. Comparing Metric Units:
- Length: Larger units like kilometers (km) are used for measuring distances (e.g., between cities), while smaller units like millimeters (mm) are used for measuring very small objects.
- Mass: Kilograms (kg) are used for heavy objects, while milligrams (mg) are used for tiny weights, like a grain of salt.
- Volume: Liters (L) are used for liquids like water, while milliliters (mL) are used for small amounts of liquid (like a spoonful).
Learn with an example
➡️ Convert:
______ centimetres = 5 metres
Find out how many centimetres are in 5 metres.
Multiply:
5 × 100 = 500
There are 500 centimetres in 5 metres.
500 centimetres = 5 metres
➡️ Which is more, 8 centimetres or 78 millimetres?
- 8 centimetres
- 78 millimetres
- neither; they are equal
Find out how many millimetres are in 8 centimetres.
Multiply:
8 × 10 = 80
There are 80 millimetres in 8 centimetres.
80 is more than 78.
8 centimetres is more than 78 millimetres.
➡️ Which is more, 50 millimetres or 5 centimetres?
- 50 millimetres
- 5 centimetres
- neither; they are equal
Find out how many millimetres are in 5 centimetres.
Multiply:
5 × 10 = 50
There are 50 millimetres in 5 centimetres.
50 millimetres is equal to 5 centimetres.
Let’s practice!🖊️