Compare and convert metric units of length
Key Notes :
Understanding Metric Units:
- The metric system uses units like millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), meters (m), and kilometers (km) to measure length.
- Each unit is 10 times larger or smaller than the next, which makes converting between them easy.
Conversion Between Units:
- 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm)
- 1 centimeter (cm) = 10 millimeters (mm)
- 1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meters (m)
To convert:
- To go from a smaller unit to a larger unit, divide by 10, 100, or 1000.
- To go from a larger unit to a smaller unit, multiply by 10, 100, or 1000.
Comparing Metric Units:
- The larger the unit, the fewer numbers you need to represent the same length. For example, 100 cm is equal to 1 meter.
- Use the appropriate unit depending on the length. For small lengths, millimeters or centimeters are best. For larger distances, use meters or kilometers.
Examples of Conversion:
- 1500 millimeters (mm) = 150 centimeters (cm) = 1.5 meters (m).
- 2.5 kilometers (km) = 2500 meters (m).
Learn with an example
➡️ Which is more, 1 kilometre or 1,049 metres?
- 1 kilometre
- 1,049 metres
- neither; they are equal
1 kilometre is the same as 1,000 metres. 1,049 metres is more than 1,000 metres.
1,049 metres is more than 1 kilometre.
➡️ Convert:
______ metres = 1,000 millimetres
1 metre = 1,000 millimetres
➡️ Convert:
_______ kilometres = 1,000 metres
1 kilometre = 1,000 metres
let’s practice!