Lesson 2: What are Metric Prefixes?

What are METRIC PREFIXES?

What are the Metric UNITS?

Description	Metric Unit	Abbreviation	Picture
Time	seconds	s
Length	meter	m
Mass	gram	g
Temperature	Kelvin	K
Area	meters squared	m2
Volume (Solids)	meters cubed	m3
Volume (Liquids)	Liters	L

What are Metric PREFIXES?

• Metric System is based on powers of 10
• increase a metric unit by multiplying it by a multiple of 10
• multiply by 10
• multiply by 100
• multiply by 1,000
• multiply by 10,000
• • Metric System is based on powers of 10
  • decrease a metric unit by dividing it by a fraction of 10
  • divide by 10
  • divide by 100
  • divide by 1,000
  • divide by 10,000
  • Each increase or decrease by a power of 10 is identified as a prefix
  • kilo is the prefix for multiplying a metric unit by 1,000 times

  • example: 1 kilogram=1,000 grams

    kilo is abbreviated as just a k

     example: 1 kg= 1 kilogram
  • hecto is the prefix for multiplying a metric unit by 100 times
  • example: 1 hectometer= 100 meters
  • hecto is abbreviated as just a h
  • example: 1 hg=1 hectogram
  • Deka is the prefix for multiplying by 10
  • example: 1 Dekameter= 10 meters
  • deka is abbreviated as just a da
  • example: 1 dag= 1 dekagram
  • deci is the prefix for dividing a metric unit by 10 times
  • example: 1 decimeter= 1/10 meter or 0.1 meter
  • deci is abbreviated as just a d
  • example: 1 dg=1 decigram
  • • centi is the prefix for dividing a metric unit by 100 times
    • example: 1 centigram=1/100 of a gram or .01grams
    • centi is abbreviated as just a c
    • example: 1 cg= 1 centigram
    • milli is the prefix for dividing a metric unit by 1000 times
    • example: 1 millimeter= 1/1000 of a meter or .001 meters
    • milli is abbreviated as just a m
    • example: 1 mg=1 milligram
    What is the BASIC UNIT?
  • • Basic Unit is any METRIC UNIT multiplied by 1
    • Examples are: 1 meter, 1 gram, 1 second, etc

    
    
    

    To Summarize...

  • metric prefix	kilo	hecto	Deka	Basic Unit
    multiply by	1,000	100	10	1
    example	km	hm	dam	meter (m)

  • 
    

    metric prefix	Basic Unit	deci	centi	milli
    divide by	1	10	100	1000
    example	meter (m)	dm	cm	mm

    
    
    Memorize the METRIC PREFIXES!
    Use this pneumonic (the first letter of each word in the phrase matches the first letter of each metric PREFIX!)
    
    King Henry  Died  By     drinking chocolate milk
      
    
    kilo  hecto  Deka basic*   deci      centi      milli
    * basic=basic unit