Metric System

The metric system is a system of standard units of measurement.

There are three basic units of measurement.

metre (m) for length* gram (g) for weight* litre ( ) for capacity*

Metric table for length, weight and capacity

If we move from right to left, each unit is times the unit on its right.

If we move from left to right, each unit is 10 times the unit on its left.

For example, 1 decametre = 10 metres

1 hectogram = 10 decagrams

1 decimetre = metres; 1 millilitre = centilitres

Conversion of units

Larger units into smaller units

To convert a larger unit into a smaller unit, we move towards the left. So, we multiply by 10 for each step.

Example 1: Convert 5 kilometres into

a. hectometres. b. decametres. c. metres.

a. 5 km = 5 × 10 hm b. 5 km = 5 × 10 × 10 dam c. 5 km = 5 × 10 × 10 × 10 m = 50 hm = 500 dam = 5,000 m

Example 2: Convert 15 grams into

a. decigrams. b. centigrams. c. milligrams.

a. 15 g = 15 × 10 dg b. 15 g = 15 × 10 × 10 cg c. 15 g = 15 × 10 × 10 × 10 mg = 150 dg = 1,500 cg = 15,000 mg

measure

milli-

units

centi-

units

deci-

units

standard unit

deca-

10 units

hecto-

100 units

kilo-

1000 units

length

millimetre (mm)

centimetre (cm)

decimetre (dm)

metre (m)

decametre (dam)

hectometre (hm)

kilometre (km)

weight

milligram (mg)

centigram (cg)

decigram (dg)

gram (g)

decagram (dag)

hectogram (hg)

kilogram (kg)

capacity

millilitre (m )

centilitre (c )

decilitre (d )

litre ( )

decalitre (da )

hectolitre (h )

kilolitre (k )

*Check the ‘Grasping Better’ section to learn the meaning of the word.