Measurement

5 minQuiz at the end

Metric Units

The metric system uses multiples of 10, making conversions straightforward.

Length

UnitEquivalent
1 km1,000 m
1 m100 cm
1 cm10 mm

Mass

UnitEquivalent
1 tonne1,000 kg
1 kg1,000 g
1 g1,000 mg

Capacity

UnitEquivalent
1 litre1,000 ml
1 cl10 ml

Converting Units

Multiply or divide by the appropriate power of 10:

  • 3.5 km β†’ metres: Γ— 1000 = 3,500 m
  • 2,500 ml β†’ litres: Γ· 1000 = 2.5 litres

Comparing Units

Convert everything to the same unit before comparing.

1.5 m = 150 cm = 1500 mm = 0.0015 km β€” all equal!

Imperial Units

ImperialMetric equivalent
1 inchβ‰ˆ 2.54 cm
1 foot= 12 inches
1 mileβ‰ˆ 1.6 km
1 poundβ‰ˆ 454 g
1 pintβ‰ˆ 568 ml