Metric System Decimals

Converting Within the Metric System

Why use the metric system?

You can see here that our system makes converting difficult. The metric system is all in the base of 10!

The Metric System

With the Metric System we just need to multiply, divide or simply move the decimal.

EXAMPLE: How many Meters are in 35 Kilometers?

We need to Multiply by 1000 OR just move the decimal point over 3 spaces. The answer is 35,000 meters.

Let's Examine the King Henry Chart to fully understand the Metric System conversions!

BACK TO THE KING HENRY CHART!!

If you are moving to the right you Multiply, to the left you Divide.

Count how many spaces to the right or left you are converting. Move the decimal to the right or left that many numerals.

Let's jump in and try a few!

• Convert from Kilo to milli

• That's 6 spaces to the right

• That means you Multiply by 1,000,000

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Convert 5 milliliters to liters

• That's three spaces to the left

• So we are going to divide by 1000

• The answer is 0.005 liters

• It's the same amount, just named with a different value.

5 mL to liters.....

Convert 19 meters to Centimeters

• That's 2 spaces to the right

• So we will Multiply by 100

• The answer is 1900 cm

• It's the same length, just named with a different value.

19 Meters to cm.

Convert 64.2 cm to meters

• We are moving to the left 2 spaces

• So we DIVIDE 64.2 by 100

• The answer is 0.642

• We could skip the dividing and just move the decimal to the left 2 spaces.

64.2 cm to meters

Multiple Choice

Convert 35.4 kilograms to grams.

• 35,400

• 354,000

• 354

• 3540

Multiply or Divide by ???

Count the number of spaces on the King Henry Chart to the left or right you want to convert. Moving to the left is to divide and moving to the right is to multiply.

You have TWO choices!

You can use the calculator or just move the decimal! Either way requires you counting spaces on the King Henry Chart.