The Metric System: Measuring Length

1
The Metric System Measuring Length

• Sarah Jones
• CS 255

2
Introduction to the Metric System

• The metric system first came about in the 1790s
  when the French Academy of Science was asked to
  construct a new system of units for use
  throughout the world.
• The metric system evolved over the years and in
  the 1960s was named the International System of
  Measurement (SI for short). To get the meter,
  they divided a line from the north pole to the
  equator into 10 million parts!

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Advantages of Metric System

• No numbers to memorize
• Only 30 individual units
• Easy to say and write

• No fractions only decimals
• World standard
• Converts easily by multiples of 10.

4
Units of Measurement

• Prefixes and Multiplier
• Kilo 1000
• Hecto 100
• Deca 10
• Meter 1
• Deci .1
• Centi .01
• Milli .001

• Examples
• Kilometer
• Hectometer
• Decameter
• Meter
• Decimeter
• Centimeter
• Millimeter

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Length

• The standard unit of length in the metric system
  is the meter. Other units of length and their
  equivalents in meters are as follows 1
  millimeter 0.001 meter1 centimeter 0.01
  meter1 decimeter 0.1 meter1 decameter 10
  meters
• 1 hectometer 100 meters
• 1 kilometer 1000 meters

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Abbreviations

• We abbreviate these lengths as follows1
  millimeter 1 mm1 centimeter 1 cm1 meter 1
  m1 decimeter 1 dm1 kilometer 1 km

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Examples

• For reference, 1 meter is a little longer than 1
  yard or 3 feet. It is about half the height of a
  very tall adult. A centimeter is nearly the
  diameter of a dime, a little less than half an
  inch. A millimeter is about the thickness of a
  dime.

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Metric Conversion Steps
For more on conversions visitAll you will need
to know about metric.
9
English to Metric Conversions

• 39,370 inches 1 kilometer
• 3280.8 feet 1 kilometer
• .62 miles 1 kilometer
• 39 inches 1 meter
• 3.28 feet 1 meter

• 1 inch 254 mm
• 1 inch 2.54 cm
• 1 foot 30.48 cm
• 1 yard 91.44 cm
• 1 yard .914 m
• 1 mile 1609.3 m
• 1 mile 1.609 km

You do not need to know these. They are just for
you to get an idea of how these systems compare.
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Metric Smile Project

• ACTIVITY AND PROCEDURES
• Divide the class into groups of four.
• Each student will measure and record the length
  of each person's smile in their group (in
  centimeters).
• The students need to check their results against
  the results of the rest of the group. If there
  are any discrepancies the students should verify
  the results as a group.

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Project (continued)

• When an accurate measurement has been obtained
  for each child the results are recorded on the
  chalkboard as each child records them at their
  seat.
• Order all the measurements from least to
  greatest.
• Graph your results.

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Last Steps

• Find the sum of all the smiles in your classroom.
  Don't forget the teachers, it is often the
  largest and often forgotten because the students
  are so involved in this activity.
• Create one smile out of construction paper that
  is the length of the of all the smiles in your
  room.