The Metric System - Varsity Tutors

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The Metric System

Study Guide

Key Definition

The metric system is based on powers of $10$, where each unit is a multiple or fraction of a meter.

Important Notes

  • 1 meter is approximately $3.28$ feet
  • A kilometer is $1000$ meters
  • A centimeter is $\frac{1}{100}$ of a meter
  • Prefixes indicate multiples of $10$
  • Used globally in science and everyday life

Mathematical Notation

$\times$ represents multiplication$\div$ represents division$\frac{a}{b}$ represents a fraction$\sqrt{x}$ represents the square root of $x$Remember to use proper notation when solving problems

Why It Works

The metric system simplifies calculations by using base $10$ units, making conversions intuitive.

Remember

Base units include meter for length, liter for volume, and gram for mass.

Quick Reference

Nanometer:$\frac{1}{1,000,000,000}$ of a meterKilometer:$1,000$ metersMegameter:$1,000,000$ meters

Understanding The Metric System

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Video explanation of this concept

concept. Use space or enter to play video.concept thumbnailBeginner

Start here! Easy to understand

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Beginner Explanation

The metric system uses powers of $10$ for easy conversions.Now showing Beginner level explanation.

Practice Problems

Test your understanding with practice problems

1

Quick Quiz

Single Choice QuizBeginner

Which of the following is equal to $1000$ meters?

A$1$ kilometerB$1$ hectometerC$10$ metersD$100$ decimetersCheck AnswerPlease select an answer for all 1 questions before checking your answers. 1 question remaining.2

Real-World Problem

Question ExerciseIntermediate

Teenager Scenario

If you run $5$ kilometers, how many meters have you run?Show AnswerClick to reveal the detailed solution for this question exercise.3

Thinking Challenge

Thinking ExerciseIntermediate

Think About This

If a car travels $150$ kilometers, how many meters is that?

Show AnswerClick to reveal the detailed explanation for this thinking exercise.4

Challenge Quiz

Single Choice QuizAdvanced

Which unit is equivalent to $\frac{1}{1,000,000}$ of a meter?

A$1$ micrometerB$1$ nanometerC$1$ millimeterD$1$ decimeterCheck AnswerPlease select an answer for all 1 questions before checking your answers. 1 question remaining.

Recap

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Review key concepts and takeaways

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