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Converting In Metric
The International System of Measurement (SI) is a modern form of the older metric system. It is sometimes referred to as the metric system. Every linear measurement in this system contains the word meter. Prefixes used with the base word meter indicate measurements that are smaller or larger than a meter.
All volume measurements are derived from linear measurements and contain the word liter. Prefixes used with the base word liter indicate volumes that are smaller or larger than a liter.
The basic unit of mass is the gram. Prefixes used with the base word gram indicate masses that are smaller or larger than one gram.
To convert from one quantity to another, follow these rules:
(1) When changing from a larger unit to a smaller one, multiply.
(2) When changing from a smaller unit to a larger one, divide.
x 1000
X 100
x 10
x 1000
x 1000
kilo-
nano-
÷ 1000
÷ 100
÷ 10
÷ 1000
÷ 1000
Use the rules and diagiam above to complete these problems. .
Jacob runs 5 kilometers in "cross country" each day after school. How many meters is this?One-half kiloliter of cola was ordered for the class party. How many liters is this?
Matthew takes two 50-milligram iron tablets each day. How many grams of iron does he take daily?
An onion cell is 2 micrometers long. How many are needed to line up end-to-end across a microscope slide 8 centimeters long?
The polio virus is 25 nanometers in diameter. How many would fit across the head of a pin 2 millimeters in diameter?
Scott can lift 5 000 000 centigrams above his head. How many kilograms can he lift?
How many milliliters of whole blood are needed to fill twenty 1-liter plastic pouches?
Michael can eat three 250-gram hamburgers at one time. How many kilograms of ground beef are needed to make these?
The mass of two paper clips is 1 gram. How many paper clips are in a 4-kilogram box of clips?
Josh drank 45 625 milliliters of milk last year. How many liters did he drink?
Amy swims 72 laps each day in the YWCA pool. Each lap is 25 meters. How many kilometers does she swim each week?
Terry needed to replace the glass in a broken window. The window was 2 meters long and 1 meter wide. What is the area of the piece of needed glass in centimeters?
Ann estimated that each guest at a party drank 200 milliliters of punch. How many liters of punch did the 100 guests drink?
Mrs. Riddle has been allotted 0.5 kilograms of chalk for the school year of 36 weeks. How many grams of chalk can she use each week?
After Adam finishes his soccer match, he consumes 1.5 liters of orangejuice. How many centiliters of orange juice is this?