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Metric System. AKA – How to measure stuff in Science class!. Equivalencies (English System). 12 inches = 1 foot 3 feet = 1 yard 5,280 feet = 1 mile 2 pints = 1 quarts 4 quarts = 1 gallon 16 ounces = 1 pound 24 hours = 1 day. Why Do We Use the Metric System?.
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Metric System AKA – How to measure stuff in Science class!
Equivalencies (English System) • 12 inches = 1 foot • 3 feet = 1 yard • 5,280 feet = 1 mile • 2 pints = 1 quarts • 4 quarts = 1 gallon • 16 ounces = 1 pound • 24 hours = 1 day
Why Do We Use the Metric System? • Easy to Use – based on powers of 10 • Scientists from around the world needed a standardized method of measuring (to duplicate experiments) • Also known as the International System of Units (SI Units)
What Do These Countries Have in Common? Burma United States Liberia
How Do We Use the Metric System? • Two Parts: • Base Units – these are your starting points • Prefixes (pre- means “before”) – to express quantities that are larger and smaller than the base units, you add a prefix to the base unit • Prefixes represent multiples of 10 • Sometimes base units are written by themselves; other times, the base units have a prefix attached
Examples • Base units written alone: • m (meter) • L (Liter) • g (gram) • Base units with prefixes: • km (kilometer) • mL (milliliter) • dag (dekagram) If there is only a one letter abbreviation used, then you will have a baseunit If there is a two- or three-letter abbreviation used, then you will have a prefix listed before the base unit (last letter will ALWAYS be the base unit abbreviation)
Examples • If you have one meter, you simply write 1m • If you have 10 meters, you can write 10m, or you can express this number as 1 dekameter (1 dam) • If you have 100 meters, you can write 100m, or you can express this number as 1 hectometer (1 hm) • If you have 1000 meters, you can write 1000m, or you can express this number as 1 kilometer (1 km)
More Examples • If you have 1/10 of a meter, you can write 1/10m, or you can express this number as 1 decimeter (1 dm) • If you have 1/100 of a meter, you can write 1/100m, or you can express this number as 1 centimeter (1 cm) • If you have 1/1000 of a meter, you can write 1/1000m, or you can express this number as 1 millimeter (1 mm)
How to Remember Metric Prefixes • Mnemonic Device – a saying that is used to help a person remember something • King Henry Died by Drinking Chocolate Milk • Kilo, Hecto, Deka, (Base), Deci, Centi, Milli
Metric Line • Used to help convert metric measurements kilo- hecto- deka- base deci- centi- milli-
Using the Metric Line • Convert 160.3 centimeters to decimeters • 1. Find the decimal point 160.3 cm • 2. Find your starting prefix (centi-) • 3. Move from your starting prefix to your ending prefix (centi- to deci-) • 4. Move the decimal point accordingly 16.03 dm kilo- hecto- deka- base deci- centi- milli-
Try Some! • Convert 25.9 cm to m (meters) • Centimeters to meters (base) on the metric line is 2 spaces to the left • Move your decimal point two spaces to the left • Don’t forget to change your units! • 25.9 cm = .259 m
Try Some! • Sometimes, zeroes must be used as placeholders • Convert 8.7 cm to hm (hectometers) • Centimeters to hectometers on the metric line is 4 spaces to the left • Move your decimal point 4 spaces to the left • Add zeroes as placeholders • 8.7 cm = .00087 hm