August, 2013
What is the metric system?
• System of measurement based on the decimal or powers of 10
• The word ’metric’ comes from the French word for ‘measure’
• Official name of the metric system is the international system of
measurements, or SI
What’s wrong with our system?
It’s HARD to convert between units!
QUIZ TIME
1. How many inches are in a foot?
7. How many cups are in a pint?
2. How many feet are in a mile?
8. How many teaspoons in a tablespoon?
3. How many inches in a yard?
9. How many ounces in a gallon?
4. How many yards in a mile?
10. How many pints in a quart?
5. How many ounces are in a pound?
6. How many pounds are in a ton?
Answers:
1. 12
2. 5,280
3. 36
4. 1,760
5. 16
6. 2,000
7. 2
8. 3
9. 128
10. 2
LOOK HOW MANY DIFFERENT NUMBERS TO MEMORIZE!!!
What’s right with the metric system?
It’s EASY to convert between units!
Proof!
• 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters = 100,000 centimeters
• 1 liter = 1,000 milliliters
• 1 kilogram = 1,000,000 milligrams
• 1 meter = 100 centimeters
• 1 gram = 10 decigrams
What else is wrong with our system?
• The “standard”, “customary”, or “English” system of measurement comes
from the creative way that people measured for themselves. Before there
was a standard of measurement, people used their bodies or household
items to measure things.
• Inch: At first an inch was the width of a man's thumb. In the 14th century,
King Edward II of England ruled that 1 inch equaled 3 grains of barley
placed end to end lengthwise.
• Foot: In ancient times, the foot was 11¼ inches. Today it is 12 inches, the
length of the average man's foot.
• Yard: A yard was originally the length of a man's belt. In the 12th century,
King Henry I of England fixed the yard as the distance from his nose to
the thumb of his out-stretched arm. Today it is 36 inches.
• A mile was created from someone taking 1,000 steps
• A gallon is the old name for a pail
None of these measurements are consistent!
Why use the metric system?
1) Scientists need a universal way to communicate data (SI Units)
2) Other countries’ companies are refusing to buy products from the U.S. if
not labeled in metric units
3) Almost all other countries are using the metric system
USA
Liberia
Burma/Myanmar
Approximate Metric vs U.S. Length
Conversions
• A meter is about the same length as a yard
• A meter is about three feet long
• A decimeter is about four inches long
• An inch is about 25 millimeters
• A foot contains about 30 centimeters
• A foot contains about 3 decimeters
What does the metric system measure?
• Three standard or base units
• The gram measures mass or how much something weighs
• The liter measures volume which is used when measuring
liquids
• The meter measures the length of an object or the distance
from place to place
• Prefixes plus base units make up the metric system
• Centi + meter = Centimeter (1/100 of a meter)
• Kilo + liter = Kiloliter (1,000 liters)
YOU MUST KNOW THESE 6 PREFIXES!
Kilogram (kg)
INB 17
Hectogram (hg)
Decagram (dag)
Mass
Gram (base unit)
Paperclip
Decigram (dg)
Centigram (cg)
Milligram (mg)
The
Metric
System
- (reflective 1)
- (reflective 2)
Length
Meter (base unit)
Volume
Liter (base unit)
About 3 Feet
2 regular water bottles