Conversion of Metric Units April 2011. Kindly contributed by Joaquin Llorente, Trafford College. Search for Joaquin on

Conversion of Metric UnitsApril 2011. Kindly contributed by Joaquin Llorente, Trafford College. Search for Joaquin on www.skillsworkshop.orgVisit the download page for this resource to find detailed teaching notes, curriculum links and related resources.

Curriculum linksAdult NumeracyMSS1/E3.5 (3.6) ((3.7)) Read, estimate, measure and compare length (weight) ((capacity))using common and standard units (b) Know that 10mm = 1cm, 1000mm = 1m; 1000g = 1 kg; 1000ml = 1 litre. MSS1/L1.7 Convert units of measure in the same system (a) know the relationship between metric unitsMSS1/L2.5 Calculate with units of measure within the same system (a) know the relationship between metric unitsand for underpinning Functional MathematicsEntry 3: Use metric units in everyday situations. Level 1: Convert units of measure in the same system. Level 2: Use, convert and calculate using metric and, where appropriate, Imperial measures.

http://www.skillsworkshop.org/

Conversion of Metric Units

The Metric System

• The International Metric System was developed and introduced in Europe in the times of Napoleon

• It is based on the decimal numbering system

• Conversion factors are always powers of 10 (i.e. larger units are 10, 100, 1000 of the base unit and smaller units are 1/10, 1/100, 1/1000 of the base unit)

The seven column table

This table and 3 simple rules will be the key to converting between units successfully

The middle column, with red borders, will hold the basic unit, metre (m), litre (l) or gram (g)

Larger units such as kilometre (km) or kilogram (kg) will go to the left and smaller subunits such as centimetre (cm), millimetre (mm), centilitre (cl), millilitre (ml) or milligram (mg) will go to the right

The seven column table

Kilo- Hecto- Deka- Base Unit Deci- Centi- Milli-

1000 100 10 Meter

Liter

Gram

0.1 0.01 0.001

This table and 3 simple rules will be the key to converting between units successfully

The middle column, with red borders, will hold the basic unit, metre (m), litre (l) or gram (g)

Larger units such as kilometre (km) or kilogram (kg) will go to the left and smaller subunits such as centimetre (cm), millimetre (mm), centilitre (cl), millilitre (ml) or milligram (mg) will go to the right

Metric Units - Distance

m

The base unit for measuring distance is the metre (m)We use metres to measure:• The height of a door• The length of a corridor• The length and width of a room


km m

We use kilometres (km) for longer distances, such as:• The distance between cities (for example, between

Madrid and Barcelona, or Manchester and Leeds)• The distance to the next services on the motorway• The distance from the Earth to the moon (400 000 km)


km m mm

We use millimetres (mm) for very small things:• The thickness of a coin• The diameter of a screw


km m cm mm

We use centimetres (cm) for things like:• The width or depth of a washing machine• The height of a table• The width of a shelf


km m cm mm

There are other units in the empty columns, but we rarely see or use their names.

Check point 1

• How many columns do you need for the Metric Unit Conversion Table?

In the Metric System …

• What is the basic unit for distance?

• What other metric units for distance do you remember?

• Can you place them in the table?

Using the 7 column table

• In the next few slides we are going to see how to use this table to convert between m, km, mm and cm.

• We will start by writing the original measurement on the table

• Then we will see how to convert into the desired unit

Convert 32 cm into mm

STEP 1 - Write the original measurement into the table

km m cm mm

cm23

23


STEP 2 – Put the decimal point to the right of the target unit

km m cm mm

cm23

23

mm=

.


STEP 3 – Fill in with 0s as required

km m cm mm

cm23

23

mm=

0 .

320

Examples - STEP 1

Write on the table:km m cm mm

5 m

3 km

27 mm

512 cm

5

3

72

5 21

Examples - STEP 2

Place the decimal point:km m cm mm

5 m

3 km

27 mm

512 cm

5

3

72

5 21

=

=

=

=

km

m

cm

m

.

.

.

.

Examples - STEP 3

Fill any gaps with 0s:km m cm mm

5 m

3 km

27 mm

512 cm

5

3

72

5 21

=

=

=

=

km

m

cm

m

.

.

.

.

0 0

0 0 0

0 0.005

3 000

2.7

5.12

Check point 2

• Draw the table and the column headings for distance

• Use the table to convert the following numbers into cm:

350 m 78 mm 5 km 3 mm

Metric Units - Weight

g

The base unit for measuring weight is the gram (g)• A sugar cube weighs a few grams• We use grams to weigh sliced ham (200 g)


kg g

A more familiar unit for weight is the kilogram (kg):• A bag of sugar weighs 1 kg• A normal wash-load is 1.5 kg• My weight is about 81 kg


kg g mg

We use milligrams (mg) for very small things:• The amount of paracetamol in a tablet

Metric Units - Capacity

l

The base unit for measuring distance is the litre (l)• A large bottle of Coke contains 2 l:• The petrol tank of an average car holds 40 l


kl l

• Kilolitres (kl) are rarely used in everyday life• The capacity of a swimming pool could be

measured in kl but is more commonly measured in thousands of litres instead


kl l ml

• A teaspoon is about 5 ml• A can of coke is bout 330 ml


kl l cl ml

• A bottle of wine is 75 cl• A drinking cup (paper) is about 20 cl

Metric Units - Summary

km m cm mm

kg g mg

l cl ml

Conversion of Metric Units

Harder examples

Convert 3.2 kg into g

STEP 1 - Write the original measurement into the table

kg g mg

kg23

23

.

.


STEP 2 – Put the decimal point to the right of the target unit

kg g mg

kg23

23

.

.

g=


STEP 3 – Fill any gaps with 0s

kg g mg

kg23

23

.

.

g=

0 0

3 200

Check point 3

In the Metric System…

• What is the base unit for weight?

• What other weight units can you remember?

• What is the base unit for capacity?

• What other units of capacity can you remember?

Harder examples - STEP 1

Write on the table:kmkg

mgl

cm

cl

mmmg ml

0.5 m

3.5 kg

2.7 cl

51.2 m

5

3

72

5 21

0 .

. 5

.

.


Move the decimal point:kmkg

mgl

cm

cl

mmmg ml

0.5 m

3.5 kg

2.7 cl

51.2 m

5

3

72

5 21

0 .

. 5

.

.

=

=

=

=

cm

mg

ml

km


Fill any gaps with 0s:kmkg

mgl

cm

cl

mmmg ml

0.5 m

3.5 kg

2.7 cl

51.2 m

5

3

72

5 21

0 .

.5

.

.

=

=

=

=

cm

mg

ml

km

0 50

3 500 0000 0 0 0 0

27

00 0.0512

Check point 4

Use the conversion table to answer these questions:

• How many cm in 1 m?• How many cl in 2 l?• How many g in 1kg?• 1m is the same as _________ km• 1mg is the same as __________ g

Documents

Conversion of Metric Units April 2011. Kindly contributed by Joaquin Llorente, Trafford College. Search for Joaquin on