The Metric System

Of Standardized Measurement

8 .9 12cm .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 13 cm .1

3.07 BTS

Or: how fingers and toes make measurement easy!

Historic Metric Milestones

Thomas Jefferson, third U.S. president proposes a decimal based measurement system.

The U.S. adopts the world’s first decimal currency system.

The use of metrics made legal, but not mandatory in U.S.

1790

1795

1792

1866

France adopts the metric system.

The Food and Drug (FDA) requires metrics on all food packaging.

The U.S. stock exchange changes trading to a metric decimal system.

1994

2001

We are going to look into one specific metric area:

Metric distance measurement.

The Meter

Not these meters…

The meter stick!As you might remember,

a standard meter is about 39-1/2” long.

It is just a bit longer

than a yard stick which

is 36”.

The meter stickA meter is graduated in

units based on the numbers 10 and 100.

The yard is divided into

3 feet.

The meter stick The centimeter is commonly the next smallest division in the meter. The centimeter is 1/100 of a meter. It is about the width of your thumbnail.

The meter stick

Let’s look at the meter divisions

The Metric Scale Here is a typical measuring ruler graduated in the metric system.

Notice the mm designation at the head of the ruler.

mm

This indicates that the smallest graduation is a millimeter (1/1000 m)

The Metric Scale Each tiny line indicates a millimeter measurement.

mm

The next longest lines indicate the 5 millimeter measurement in the middle of the centimeter.

The longest lines of all indicate the 10 millimeter measurements or each centimeter.

The Metric Scale Remember: each tiny line is one millimeter.

Count down to the 12th millimeter line. Put the mouse arrow on that spot.

mm

Now advance the slide to see if you are correct!

Was it here?

The Metric Scale Here is your second millimeter measuring

chance.

mm

Now advance the slide to see if you are correct!

Was it here?

Place the mouse arrow at 23mm.

The Metric Scale That was the hard stuff, let’s move on to

Centimeters.

mm

Now advance the slide to see if you are correct!

Was it here?

The tallest dividing lines represent centimeters (1/100 meter).

Put mouse arrow on the 4 cm line.

The Metric Scale Many rulers indicate the centimeter (cm) measurement permanently on the ruler.

mm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The taller line in the middle indicates the 5mm point, or half way between the whole

centimeters.

* * * * * * *

The Metric Scale O.K. Now for the big metric tests…

mm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

We must be able to move with ease between cm (centimeters) and mm (millimeters).

Locate 2 cm. How many mm is that?(hint: count the mm lines if you don’t know)

Did you get the answer : 20?

The Metric Scale Let’s locate 56 mm.

mm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

How many centimeters is that?

If you are thinking ________ you are right!5.6 cm

Now that’s easy Math!

mm Review:

The system is based on the meter, which is just longer than a yardstick.

Metrics are easy to understand because the system is based on the number 10.

It is easy to convert from one metric unit (cm, mm) to other metric units.

Metrics

Have you mastered this measurement system?

mm

Measurement is an important

skill to earn!