Metric Conversion (Metric Steps)

1. Metric Stairs
How to do Metric Conversions

2. Metric System
•System of measurement.
•Designed to be easy to
use and universal. (built
on powers of ten)
•Correct name is the
“International System of
Units”( or SI for short).

3. Built on a Root
Each property of matter
has a root word that is
the base measurement
for that property.
For example:
Grams (g) are for mass
Liters (L) are for volume
Meters (m) are for
distance

4. Add a Prefix
To change the value of the root (make it bigger or smaller),
you add a prefix
Smaller
Milli (m) – 1/1000 of the root (1000 times smaller)
Centi (c) – 1/100 of the root (100 times smaller)
Deci (d) – 1/10 of the root (10 times smaller)
Bigger
Deka (dk) – 10 times bigger than root
Hecto (h) – 100 times bigger than root
Kilo (k) – 1000 times bigger than root.

5. Easy Conversions
kilo-
hecto-
deka-
root
deci-
centi-
milli-
•You can use this simple
drawing to convert any
metric measurement to
another metric
measurement.
•The stairs have 7 steps
going down left to right

6. How does it work?
kilo-
hecto-
deka-
root
deci-
centi-
milli-
•First, identify the prefixes
you are being asked to
convert between.
•Example: “Convert
2.345 cm into
hectometers”
•cm is centimeters and
change is to
hectometers.

7. How does it Work?
kilo-
hecto-
deka-
root
deci-
centi-
milli-
•Next draw out the
stairs.
•Third, put a mark on
the starting prefix (centi
in our example problem)

8. How does it Work?
kilo-
hecto-
deka-
root
deci-
centi-
milli-
•Fourth, “walk”
up/down the stairs to
the prefix you are
converting to (hecto
in our example)
•Count the number of
steps you traveled
and note direction as
either left or right.
1
4
3
2
Left

9. How Does it Work
Now go to the original number (2.345) and
move the decimal point the same direction
and number of “steps” as you did on the
stairs.
2.345
4 spaces left
0.0002345
hm