Metric Units

Conversion of metric units, metric measurement table, Addition and subtraction in the metric system.

Measures of length :
10 millimetres (mm) = 1 centimetre (cm)
10 centimetres (cm) = 1 decimetre (dm)
10 decimetres (dm) = 1 metre (m)
10 metres (m) = 1 decametre (dam)
10 decametres (dm) = 1 hectometre (hm)
10 hectometres (hm) = 1 kilometre (km)
Measures of mass :
10 milligrams (mg) = 1 centigram (cg)
10 centigrams (cg) = 1 decigram (dg)
10 decigrams (dg) = 1 gram (g)
10 grams (g) = 1 decagram (dag)
10 decagrams (dg) = 1 hectogram (hg)
10 hectograms (hg) = 1 kilogram (kg)
Measures of capacity :
10 millilitres (ml) = 1 centilitre (cl)
10 centilitres (cl) = 1 decilitre (dl)
10 decilitres (dl) = 1 litre (l)
10 litres (l) = 1 decalitre (dal)
10 decalitres (dl) = 1 hectolitre (hl)
10 hectolitres (hl) = 1 kilolitre (kl)
  Measure of length Measure of mass Measures of litre
Higher units Kilometre Kilogram Kilolitre
Hectometre Hectogram Hectolitre
Decametre Decagram Decalitre
Basic
unit
METRE GRAM LITRE
Lower Units Decimeter Decigram Decilitre
Centimetre Centigram Centilitre
Millimetre Milligram Millilitre

↑ move up in the table, each units is 10 times the previous unit.

↓ move down in the table, each units is 1/10 of the previous unit.

Conversion of metric units :

The commonly used metric units are :

1) Length: metre(m), centimetre(cm), millimetre(mm), kilometre(km)

2) Wighth: gram(g), kilogram(kg)

3) Capacity: litre(l), millilitre(ml)

1) Conversion of Length

Conversion of length -> higher to lower units

1 m = 100 cm. so, to convert from m to cm, multiply by 100.

Example 1 : Convert 8 m to cm.

8 m = 8 × 100 cm = 800 cm

Example 2 : Drawing room in the school is 5 m 25 cm long. How many cm is that ?

5 m 25 cm = 5 × 100 cm + 25 cm

= 500 cm + 25 cm = 525 cm

1 cm = 10 mm. so, to convert from cm to mm, multiply by 10.

Example 1 : Convert 7 cm to mm.

7 cm = 7 × 10 mm = 70 mm

Example 2 : There is lizard with 5 cm 8 mm long. How many mm long is that ?

5 cm 8 mm = 5 × 10 mm + 8 mm

= 50 mm + 8 mm = 58 mm

1 km = 1000 m. so, to convert from km to m, multiply by 1000.

Example 1 : Convert 5 km to m.

5 km = 5 × 1000 m = 5000 m

Example 2 : A camel can walk 2 km 350 m in 1 hour. How many metres can camel walk in an hour ?

2 km 350 m = 2 × 1000 m + 350 m

= 2000 m + 350 m = 2350 m

Conversion of length -> lower to higher units

100 cm = 1 m. so, to convert from cm to m, divide by 100.

Example 1 : Convert 675 cm into m and cm.

675 cm = 600 cm + 75 cm

= 675 ÷ 100 = 6.75 cm

= 6 m + 75 cm = 6 m 75 cm

10 mm = 1 cm. so, to convert from mm to cm, divide by 10.

Example 1 : Convert 66 cm into cm and mm.

66 mm = 60 mm + 6 mm

= 66 ÷ 10 = 6.6 mm

= 6 cm 6 mm

1000 m = 1 km. so, to convert from m to km, divide by 1000.

Example 1 : Convert 3848 m into km and m.

3848 m = 3848 ÷ 1000 = 3.848

= 3 km + 848 m

2) Conversion of weight

1 kg = 1000 g

To convert from kg to g, multiply by 1000

Example 1 : Convert 3 kg to g.

3 kg = 3 × 1000 g = 3000 g

Example 2 :

Leo is a cat. His weight is 2 kg 475 g. How many grams is that ?

2 kg 475 g = 2 × 1000 + 475 g = 2000 g + 475 g

= 2475 g

To convert from g to kg, divide by 1000

Example 1 : Convert 4555 g into kg and g.

4555 g = 4000 g + 555 g

= 4000 ÷ 1000 + 555 g

= 4 kg 555 g

3) Conversion of capacity

1 l = 1000 ml

To convert from l to ml, multiply by 1000

Example 1 : Convert 10 l into millimetres.

10 l = 10 × 1000 ml

= 10000 ml

Example 2 : Convert 5 l 995 ml into millimetres.

5l 995 ml = 5 × 1000 ml + 995 ml

= 5000 ml + 995 ml

= 5995 ml

To convert from ml to l, divide by 1000

Example 1 : 15,865 ml of milk was poured into a bucket. How many l and ml is that?.

15,865 ml = 15,000 ml + 865 ml

= 15,000 ÷ 1000 and 865 ml

= 15 l 865 ml

Addition in the metric system

Example 1: Add 48 l 360 ml and 64 l 90 ml

Step 1: Add millimetres. 360 ml + 90 ml = 450 ml

Put 450 in the ml column.

Step 2: Add litres. 48 l + 64 l = 112 l

Put 112 in the l column.

 
 
l
 
 
ml
 
 
 
 
 
4
8
 
3
6
0
(+)
 
6
4
 
0
9
0
 
 
11
2
 
4
5
0

Subtraction in the metric system

92 < 432

So, change 1l to ml.You have 1092 ml

1092 ml - 432 ml = 660 ml

Put 660 in the ml column.

83 l - 56 l = 27 l. Put 27 l in the column l.

 
 
l
 
 
ml
 
 
 
 
 
8
4
 
0
9
2
(-)
 
5
6
 
4
3
2
 
 
2
7
 
6
6
0

Multiplication and Division of metric units

Example 1: Mr. Bush drank 8 glasses of water in a day. If the capacity of a glass is 250 ml, how much water did he drink?

Capacity of 1 glass = 250 ml

Capacity of 8 glasses = 8 × 250 ml = 2000 ml = 2 l

Example 2: 1 kg of sugar is equally divided between 5 friends. How much did each friend get?

5 friends got 1 kg = 1000 g of sugar.

1 friend got 1000 g ÷ 5 = 200 g