Tammy Murphy
Physical Science
D. Phillips, Spring 2011
EMPACTS Project
The most important goal for the adult learner
is to be able to use and apply the skill of
converting within the metric system that is
learned in an academic setting and be able to
apply it to real-life situations.
The decimal measuring system based on the meter, liter,
and gram as units of length, capacity, and weight or
mass
The metric system is in use by 95% of the world
The metric system is universally used in the sciences
The only country in the world that does not utilize the
metric system is the United States
There are three basic units of metric measure
that the adult learner will use in real-life
situations:
meter (m) - length
gram (g) - mass or weight
liter (L) - volume
Many disciplines use the metric system, such as
pharmacology, chemistry, nursing and
astronomy. For example, the average distance
between the moon and the earth is 384,403
kilometers (238,857 miles). When nurses
calculate how much an infant takes from a
bottle, they do it in cubic centimeters. Thirty cc's
equals about an ounce.
Ladder Method
1
2
KILO
1000
Units
HECTO
100
Units
3
DEKA
10
Units
DECI
0.1
Unit
Meters
Liters
Grams
How do you use the “ladder” method?
1st – Determine your starting point.
2nd – Count the “jumps” to your ending point.
3rd – Move the decimal the same number of
jumps in the same direction.
CENTI
0.01
Unit
MILLI
0.001
Unit
4 km = _________ m
Starting Point
Ending Point
How many jumps does it take?
4. __. __. __. = 4000 m
1
2
3
An easy way to remember the metric units of
measure is to remember the sentence:
King Henry died ___ drinking chocolate milk!
(Poor guy!!!)
kilo- (1000)
hecto- (100)
deka- (10)
deci- (0.1)
centi- (0.01)
milli- (0.001)
Conversion Practice
Try these conversions using the ladder method.
1000 mg = _______ g
1 L = _______ mL
160 cm = _______ mm
14 km = _______ m
109 g = _______ kg
250 m = _______ km
Compare using <, >, or =.
56 cm
6m
7g
698 mg
Metric Conversion Challenge
Write the correct abbreviation for each metric unit.
1) Kilogram _____
4) Milliliter _____
7) Kilometer _____
2) Meter _____
5) Millimeter _____
8) Centimeter _____
3) Gram _____
6) Liter _____
9) Milligram _____
Try these conversions, using the ladder method.
10) 2000 mg = _______ g
15) 5 L = _______ mL
20) 16 cm = _______ mm
11) 104 km = _______ m
16) 198 g = _______ kg
21) 2500 m = _______ km
12) 480 cm = _____ m
17) 75 mL = _____ L
22) 65 g = _____ mg
13) 5.6 kg = _____ g
18) 50 cm = _____ m
23) 6.3 cm = _____ mm
14) 8 mm = _____ cm
19) 5.6 m = _____ cm
24) 120 mg = _____ g
Compare using <, >, or =.
63 cm ___ 6 m
536 cm ___ 53.6 dm
5 g ___ 508 mg
1,500 mL ___1.5 L
43 mg ___ 5 g
3.6 m ___ 36 cm





Dictionary.com, n.d. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/metric+system
Ehow.com, n.d. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from
http://www.ehow.com/how_5864935_use-metric-systemreal-life.html
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. n.d.
Retrieved May 10, 2011, from http://www.michigan.gov
The Science Spot, n.d. Retrieved May 10, 2011, from
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classmetric.html#Anchor14210
The Science Spot, n.d. Retrieved May 10, 2011, from
http://sciencespot.net/Media/metric_metconv.ppt