Metric System

1. Metric System Converting within the metric system of measurement

2. Background: The Metric System • The metric system was invented in 1790 by a group of French scientists. • The metric system was invented because countries were using many different systems of measurement causing confusion and lack of consistency

3. What is it and who uses it? • A system of measurement used by the majority of countries on Earth based on the number 10

4. Scientists all over the world use it to measure: • Length • Volume • Mass • Density • Temperature • Time

5. What does the metric system measure? • The gram measures mass. • The liter measures volume. • The meter measures length.

6. Metric Units for Length • Kilometer (km) – a little smaller than a mile • Meter (m) – about the width of a door • Centimeter (cm) – about the width of a large paperclip • Millimeter (mm) – about the thickness of a dime 1,000 mm = 1 m 100 cm = 1 m 10 decimeters (dm) = 1 m 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 m

7. The longer lines on the metric ruler are called… • centimeters

8. The shorter lines on the metric ruler are called… • millimeters

9. One centimeter is divided into how many millimeters? • 10 millimeters (mm)

10. Figure 2: Calculating: Measure the turtle in figure 2 from the rear of its shell to the tip of its nose. Record its length in both centimeters and millimeters. • 10.5 cm • 105 mm

11. Remember: Big unit to small unit – multiply Small unit to big unit - divide Let’s Try Some 16 cm = _____ mm 2 km = ______ m 63 mm = ______cm

12. Corey jogs 5 kilometers every morning to get ready for a 5 kilometer-race he is going to run next month. How many meters does he run in one week? 5,000 m 10,000 m 3,500 m 35,000 m