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Name ______________________________________________________________ Date ________ Per_____
Metric System Practice Problems
Introduction: The French National Assembly originated The Metric System during
1791 –1795. Most of the official standards of measurement for the Metric System or SI (International System
of Units) are housed in Sevres, France. This system is a decimal system; it is based on units of 10, much like
our American monetary system. For example there are 10 pennies in a dime and 10 dimes in one dollar (100
cents).
1. A great advantage of the metric system is the ease with which a unit of one amount can be changed into
either larger or smaller units. Consider the examples below, showing the conversions from one unit to
another, and then complete the following parts a-j of this question.
Example 1: 3.0 m = 300.0 cm
Example 2:
50.0mg = 5.0cg
a. In example 1, is the larger unit the meter or centimeter?
b. In example 1, is the larger number associated with the larger or smaller unit?
c. In example 2, is the larger unit the milligram or the centigram?
d. In example 2, is the larger number associated with the larger or smaller unit?
e. According to example 1, is multiplication or division done when converting to a smaller unit?
f. According to example 2, is multiplication or division done when converting to a larger unit?
g. When converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, does the number preceding the unit
increase or decrease in size?
h. When converting from a smaller unit to a larger unit, does the number preceding the unit
increase or decrease in size?
i. When converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit, is the decimal of the number preceding the
unit moved to the right or left of its present position?
j. When converting from a smaller unit to a larger unit, is the decimal of the number preceding the
unit moved to the right or left of its present position?
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2. Suppose the distance to a city is known to be 15,000,000 cm. You realize that a measurement unit other
than centimeters is more appropriate, for example, kilometers. Using the steps of the procedure below
you can convert any smaller unit to any other larger unit, or visa versa.
kilo-
heto-
deka-
Divide by a power of 10
← # gets smaller 1
decimal place for each
column moved to the
left.
a. 5mm
Base unit
deci- centi- millimeter
liter
gram
second
← → Multiply by a power of 10
← → → # gets larger 1 decimal
place for each column
moved to the right.
= ____________________cm
b. 5,600 csec = ____________________ ksec
c.
0.7 cm
= ____________________ mm
d. 76.8 g
= ____________________ cg
e. 37cg
= ____________________ kg
f. 0.08 km
= ____________________ cm
g. 56 msec = ____________________ sec
h. 20.5 m
= ____________________ km
i. Of the quantities listed below circle the quantity that represents the smallest amount.
0.001m
0.1m
100m
1000m
j. Of the quantities listed below circle the quantity that represents the largest amount.
kg
mg
cg
dg
k. Of the quantities listed below circle the quantity that represents the largest amount.
1.0 centimeter
0.1 meter
0.01 meter
0.1cm
l. Of the quantities listed below circle the quantity that represents the smallest amount.
dg
dkg
mg
hg