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METRIC UNITS & MEASUREMENTS
LENGTH | MASS | VOLUME | TIME | TEMPERATURE

DECIMALS in MEASUREMENT
Prefixes for units of length, volume, and mass in the metric system
Prefix Multiply by
milli- 0.001 (1/1000)
centi- 0.01 (1/100)
deci- 0.1 (1/10)
deka- 10
hecto- 100
kilo- 1000

LENGTH
The standard unit of length
in the metric system is the meter
1 millimeter = 0.001 meter
1 centimeter = 0.01 meter
1 decimeter = 0.1 meter
1 kilometer = 1000 meters
Abbreviations
1 millimeter = 1 mm
1 centimeter = 1 cm
1 meter = 1 m
1 decimeter = 1 dm
1 kilometer = 1 km
FOR REFERENCE:
One meter is about half the height of a very tall adult.
A centimeter is a little less than the diameter of a dime
A millimeter is about the thickness of a dime.

MASS
The standard unit of mass
in the metric system is the gram.
1 milligram = 0.001 gram
1 centigram = 0.01 gram
1 decigram = 0.1 gram
1 kilogram = 1000 grams
Abbreviations
1 milligram = 1 mg
1 centigram = 1 cg
1 decigram = 1 dg
1 gram = 1 g
1 kilogram = 1 kg
FOR REFERENCE:
A gram is about the mass of a paper clip.
One kilogram is about the mass of a liter of water.

VOLUME
The standard unit of volume
in the metric system is the liter.
1 milliliter = 0.001 liter
1 centiliter = 0.01 liter
1 deciliter = 0.1 liter
1 kiloliter = 1000 liters
Abbreviations
1 milliliter = 1 ml
1 centiliter = 1 cl
1 deciliter = 1 dl
1 liter = 1 l
1 kiloliter = 1 kl
FOR REFERENCE:
One liter = 1000 cubic centimeters in volume.
One liter is slightly more than a quart.
One teaspoon equals about 5 milliliters.