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The metric system · The metric system

Metric Units, Time, and Angle Measure

A movie runs $2.5$ hours. Is that $2$ hours $50$ minutes? A 2-liter soda bottle and a ruler both count in tens, but a clock and a protractor count in sixties. In this page you will learn to move between units in both worlds, and we'll come back to the movie at the end.

What are we measuring?

Before you pick a unit, ask what the number describes.

Question Quantity SI unit
How long, wide, or far? length meter (m)
How much matter is in it? mass kilogram (kg) or gram (g)
How much liquid fits inside? capacity liter (L)
How much flat surface does it cover? area square meter (m²)
How much space does it take up? volume cubic meter (m³)

Use a smaller or larger unit when the object is tiny or huge. A pencil is measured in centimeters, but a road trip is measured in kilometers.

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Indicate which quantity (length, mass, capacity, area, or volume) is being measured in each of the following cases and suggest the most appropriate International System…

Indicate which quantity (length, mass, capacity, area, or volume) is being measured in each of the following cases and suggest the most appropriate International System (SI) unit to express it:

  1. a) The weight of a backpack full of books.
  2. b) The amount of water that fits in an Olympic swimming pool.
  3. c) The distance traveled by a high-speed train between Boston and New York.
  4. d) The size of a poster you want to stick on your bedroom wall.
  5. e) The space occupied by a shoebox inside a closet.
Solve

The metric staircase: length and mass

Metric units for length (m), mass (g), and capacity (L) all use the same prefixes. Each prefix is 10 times the next one, because the system is built on place value.

Staircase of metric prefixes from kilo to milli; each step to the right multiplies by 10 and each step to the left divides by 10. km hm dam m dm cm mm kilo hecto deka base deci centi milli Move left: ÷ 10 per step Move right: × 10 per step

The same row works for grams (kg, hg, dag, g, dg, cg, mg) and liters (kL, hL, daL, L, dL, cL, mL). The prefix deka- is also spelled deca-, so you may see "decagram" or "dekagram" for dag.

Conversions also help you find a unit rate, such as the price of one kilogram.

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Perform the following length and mass unit conversions, moving the decimal point as appropriate: a) Convert $4,52$ $km$ to meters ($m$). b) Convert $830$ $mg$ to…

Perform the following length and mass unit conversions, moving the decimal point as appropriate:

  1. a) Convert $4,52$ $km$ to meters ($m$).
  2. b) Convert $830$ $mg$ to decigrams ($dg$).
  3. c) Express $12,5$ $hm$ in decameters ($dam$).
  4. d) Transform $0,075$ $kg$ into grams ($g$).
Solve
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In the supermarket, a $2,5$ $kg$ bag of oranges costs $\$3,75…

In the supermarket, a $2,5$ $kg$ bag of oranges costs $\$3,75$. If we want to buy a different amount, it is useful to know the price per unit. Calculate:

  1. a) How many grams ($g$) of oranges are there in the bag?
  2. b) What is the price of a single kilogram ($kg$) of these oranges?
Solve

Combining measurements

You can only add, subtract, or compare measurements that use the same unit. Convert everything to the smallest unit in the problem, calculate, then convert back.

A measurement can also be written with several units at once, like $6\ \text{km}\ 3\ \text{hm}\ 5\ \text{dam}$. This is called mixed units. Each digit of the whole number of meters belongs to one unit.

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A hiking club is signposting a route on the Appalachian Trail. The total journey is $12,4\text{ km}$. If they have already installed posts every $80\text{ dam}$ and they…

A hiking club is signposting a route on the Appalachian Trail. The total journey is $12,4\text{ km}$. If they have already installed posts every $80\text{ dam}$ and they still have to cover the last $3.600\text{ m}$, how many kilometers have they already signposted? Express the final result in kilometers, hectometers and meters (complex form).

80 dam 80 dam Start Current point End 12.4 km ? km, hm, m Signposted 3,600 m To cover
Solve
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In a chemistry laboratory, three substances have been mixed for an experiment. The first substance weighs $0,25\text{ kg}$, the second $480\text{ cg}$ and the third…

In a chemistry laboratory, three substances have been mixed for an experiment. The first substance weighs $0,25\text{ kg}$, the second $480\text{ cg}$ and the third $15,4\text{ g}$.

  1. a) Calculate the total mass of the mixture in grams.
  2. b) If we want to divide the mixture into $12$ equal test tubes, how many milligrams will there be in each tube?
Solve

Capacity and volume

Capacity (how much fits) and volume (how much space) are two ways to say the same thing, and the metric system links them neatly. A cube that is $10\ \text{cm}$ on each edge ($1\ \text{dm}$) holds exactly one liter.

A cube with 10 centimeter edges, which holds 1 liter, and the equivalences between capacity and volume units. 10 cm = 1 dm 1 dm³ = 1 L 1 cm³ = 1 mL 1 m³ = 1,000 L 1 m³ = 1 kL

The volume of a rectangular prism (a box) is $V = \ell \cdot w \cdot h$. All three edges must be in the same unit. If you measure them in dm, the volume comes out in dm³, which is the same as liters.

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Remember the fundamental relationship between capacity and volume units: $1$ $L = 1$ $dm^3$. Use this equivalence to solve: a) A soft drink has a volume of $330$ $cm^3$.…

Remember the fundamental relationship between capacity and volume units: $1$ $L = 1$ $dm^3$. Use this equivalence to solve:

  1. a) A soft drink has a volume of $330$ $cm^3$. How many milliliters ($mL$) does it contain?
  2. b) A water tank has a capacity of $2$ $kL$. How many cubic meters ($m^3$) does that volume occupy?
  3. c) If a $1,5$ $L$ water bottle is full of distilled water, what is its exact mass in kilograms ($kg$)?
Solve
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A cuboid-shaped aquarium has dimensions of $80\text{ cm}$ long, $0,4\text{ m}$ wide and $5\text{ dm}$ high. If the aquarium is filled to $\frac{4}{5}$ of its total…

A cuboid-shaped aquarium has dimensions of $80\text{ cm}$ long, $0,4\text{ m}$ wide and $5\text{ dm}$ high. If the aquarium is filled to $\frac{4}{5}$ of its total capacity:

  1. a) How many liters of water does it contain?
  2. b) Knowing that $1\text{ liter}$ of water weighs $1\text{ kg}$, what is the mass of the water in the aquarium expressed in decagrams ($dag$)?
80 cm 0.4 m 5 dm 4/5
Solve

Bottling and density

Density tells you how much mass fits in each unit of volume. Water has a density of $1\ \text{kg/L}$. Cooking oil is lighter, about $0.92\ \text{kg/L}$, which is why it floats. Since $1\ \text{L} = 1\ \text{dm}^3$, the units $\text{kg/L}$ and $\text{kg/dm}^3$ mean the same thing.

$$\text{mass} = \text{density} \times \text{volume} \qquad \text{volume} = \text{mass} \div \text{density}$$

A metric ton (t) is $1{,}000\ \text{kg}$. It is not the same as the US ton, which is $2{,}000\ \text{lb}$.

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A farmer from California has produced $3,5\text{ toneladas}$ of extra virgin olive oil. For its distribution, he wants to bottle the production in $5\text{ liters}$…

A farmer from California has produced $3,5\text{ toneladas}$ of extra virgin olive oil. For its distribution, he wants to bottle the production in $5\text{ liters}$ jugs.

  1. a) Knowing that the density of the oil is $0,92\text{ kg/L}$ (that is, $1\text{ liter}$ of oil weighs $920\text{ g}$), how many liters of oil does he have in total?
  2. b) How many $5\text{ L}$ jugs will he be able to fill completely? How many centiliters will be left over?
Solve
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In a chemistry laboratory, they have a tank with $0,075\text{ m}^3$ of a special oil whose density is $0,92\text{ kg/dm}^3$. They want to bottle it in small flasks that…

In a chemistry laboratory, they have a tank with $0,075\text{ m}^3$ of a special oil whose density is $0,92\text{ kg/dm}^3$. They want to bottle it in small flasks that have a capacity of $125\text{ ml}$.

  1. a) How many full flasks will they be able to fill?
  2. b) What will be the total mass, expressed in decagrams ($dag$), of all the oil contained in the tank?
TANK FLASKS V = 0.075 m³ d = 0.92 kg/dm³ m = ? dag Capacity = 125 ml No. of flasks = ?
Solve

Area units

Area is measured in square units. One square centimeter is a square $1\ \text{cm}$ on each side. To find the area of a shape on a grid, count the squares and combine partial squares into whole ones.

A square centimeter divided into 100 square millimeters. 1 cm = 10 mm 1 cm × 1 cm = 1 cm² 10 × 10 = 100 small squares Each one is 1 mm²
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Calculate the area of the following figure by counting the squares that form it. Each square on the grid represents $1$ $cm^2$. Express the final result also in square…

Calculate the area of the following figure by counting the squares that form it. Each square on the grid represents $1$ $cm^2$. Express the final result also in square millimeters ($mm^2$).

= 1 cm² 1 cm
Solve
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A technology company wants to install solar panels on the roof of its warehouse. The available area is $0,15\text{ hm}^2$ and $4,2\text{ dam}^2$. Each solar panel…

A technology company wants to install solar panels on the roof of its warehouse. The available area is $0,15\text{ hm}^2$ and $4,2\text{ dam}^2$. Each solar panel occupies an area of $25.000\text{ cm}^2$. What is the maximum number of panels they can place if they must leave an area of $12\text{ m}^2$ free for maintenance?

Total Area = 0.15 hm² + 4.2 dam² Panel Zone Maintenance 12 m² 1 panel = 25,000 cm²
Solve
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We want to fence and cover with artificial grass a rectangular enclosure whose area is $0,18\text{ hectares}$. We know that one of the sides measures $36\text{ dam}$. a)…

We want to fence and cover with artificial grass a rectangular enclosure whose area is $0,18\text{ hectares}$. We know that one of the sides measures $36\text{ dam}$.

  1. a) Calculate the length of the other side in meters.
  2. b) If the price of the fence is $12,40\text{ \$}$ per linear meter and the grass is $22,50\text{ \$}$ per square decameter, what is the total cost of the materials?
Solve

Cost problems with area and percent

Many real problems chain several ideas: area of a shape, then cost, then a percent. A percent increase is easiest with a multiplier. Adding $8\%$ means multiplying by $1.08$, and adding $10\%$ means multiplying by $1.10$.

The area of a circle with radius $r$ is $A = \pi r^2$. Use $\pi \approx 3.14$ unless the problem gives another value.

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A city council wants to renew the paving of a circular square that has a radius of $15\text{ m}$. The cost of the granite is $45,50\text{ \$}…

A city council wants to renew the paving of a circular square that has a radius of $15\text{ m}$. The cost of the granite is $45,50\text{ \$}$ per square meter, but $21\%$ sales tax must be added to the final price. In addition, it is estimated that $5\%$ of the material is wasted in cuts. Calculate the total budget needed for the work, rounding to the nearest cent. (Take $\pi \approx 3,1416$).

r = 15 m Area = π·r² Material cost $45.50/m² Waste + 5% Taxes + 21% tax
Solve

Hours, minutes, and seconds

Now let's leave the powers of ten. Time uses a base-60 system, called the sexagesimal system.

Hours, minutes, and seconds: multiply by 60 to go to a smaller unit and divide by 60 to go to a larger unit. hours minutes seconds ×60 → ← ÷60 ×60 → ← ÷60 Bigger to smaller unit: multiply. Smaller to bigger: divide.

To change a small unit into mixed units, use whole-number division with a remainder. The quotient is the larger unit and the remainder is what's left in the smaller unit.

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The sexagesimal system is based on the number $60$. Perform the following time conversions: a) How many minutes are $3$ hours and $15$ minutes? b) A TikTok video lasts…

The sexagesimal system is based on the number $60$. Perform the following time conversions:

  1. a) How many minutes are $3$ hours and $15$ minutes?
  2. b) A TikTok video lasts $150$ seconds. Express it in minutes and seconds (complex form).
  3. c) If a television series lasts $0,5$ hours, how many minutes is that?
Solve
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Express the following durations in seconds and then order them from greatest to least: $t_1 = 2,5\text{ hours}$ $t_2 = 145\text{ minutes and } 30\text{ seconds}$…

Express the following durations in seconds and then order them from greatest to least:

  • $t_1 = 2,5\text{ hours}$

  • $t_2 = 145\text{ minutes and } 30\text{ seconds}$

  • $t_3 = 9.200\text{ seconds}$

  • $t_4 = 2\text{ h } 30\text{ min } 15\text{ s}$

TARGET h min s × 60 × 60 × 3600 t₁ = 2,5 h t₂ = 145 min 30 s t₃ = 9200 s t₄ = 2 h 30 min 15 s
Solve

Elapsed time, adding, and subtracting

To add or subtract times, work one unit at a time. When a column reaches $60$ or more, carry into the next unit. When you need more in a column, borrow $1$ of the next unit, which is worth $60$ (not $10$) of the smaller one.

Clock times can appear in 12-hour form (4:50 PM) or 24-hour form (16:50). To move from PM to 24-hour form, add $12$ to the hour: $6{:}15\ \text{PM} = 18{:}15$. Use whichever form the problem uses.

Elapsed time is the time between a start and an end. You can count up in chunks, or subtract.

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Emma started studying at $17:45$ and finished at $19:10$. a) How much time has she been studying in total? (Express the result in hours and minutes). b) If she took a…

Emma started studying at $17:45$ and finished at $19:10$.

  1. a) How much time has she been studying in total? (Express the result in hours and minutes).
  2. b) If she took a $15$-minute break in the middle of the afternoon, how much real study time has she had?
Solve
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An eSports tournament consists of three stages. The first stage lasted $2\text{ h } 45\text{ min } 15\text{ s}$, the second stage lasted…

An eSports tournament consists of three stages. The first stage lasted $2\text{ h } 45\text{ min } 15\text{ s}$, the second stage lasted $1\text{ h } 58\text{ min } 50\text{ s}$ and the grand final lasted $55\text{ min } 20\text{ s}$.

  1. a) What was the total duration of the tournament in complex form?
  2. b) If the tournament was recorded in its entirety and the video file takes up $12\text{ MB}$ for each minute of recording, how many $GB$ does the total video take up approximately? (Fact: $1\text{ GB} = 1.024\text{ MB}$).
Stage 1 2h 45min 15s Stage 2 1h 58min 50s Final 55min 20s Total Duration = ? Video Size (GB) = ? Recording rate: 12 MB / min (1 GB = 1024 MB)
Solve

Repeated durations and finishing times

When something repeats, multiply each unit separately, then simplify by carrying, just as in addition. To find a finishing time, add that duration to the start time. If the clock passes $24{:}00$ (midnight), subtract $24$ hours and move to the next day.

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A marathon runner maintains a constant pace of $4\text{ minutes and } 15\text{ seconds}$ for each kilometer run. a) How much total time will it take to complete a…

A marathon runner maintains a constant pace of $4\text{ minutes and } 15\text{ seconds}$ for each kilometer run.

  1. a) How much total time will it take to complete a $15\text{ km}$ race? Express the result in hours, minutes and seconds.
  2. b) If the race started at $10:45\text{ h}$, at what time will they cross the finish line?
0 km 1 km 15 km Pace: 4 min 15 s Total distance: 15 km Total time = ? Start: 10:45 h Finish: ? h
Solve
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A communications satellite orbits the Earth and completes exactly one revolution every $103\text{ minutes and } 24\text{ seconds}$. If the satellite began its first…

A communications satellite orbits the Earth and completes exactly one revolution every $103\text{ minutes and } 24\text{ seconds}$. If the satellite began its first orbit on a Monday at $08:15:00$, at what exact time, expressed in hours, minutes and seconds, will it have completed its fifteenth revolution? Also indicate whether it will still be Monday or if the day will have changed.

Solve

Rates over time

A rate compares two quantities, such as "$1$ drop every $4$ seconds." To use a rate over a long time, put the time in the same unit as the rate, and then scale up with a proportion or multiplication.

Useful facts: $1\ \text{day} = 24\ \text{h} = 1{,}440\ \text{min} = 86{,}400\ \text{s}$. February has $28$ days, or $29$ in a leap year.

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A broken faucet leaks one drop of water every $2,5\text{ seconds}$. It has been measured that $20\text{ gotas}$ are exactly equivalent to $1\text{ mililitro}$. If the…

A broken faucet leaks one drop of water every $2,5\text{ seconds}$. It has been measured that $20\text{ gotas}$ are exactly equivalent to $1\text{ mililitro}$. If the faucet drips non-stop throughout the month of February in a leap year:

  1. a) How many liters of water will have been wasted by the end of the month?
  2. b) If a cubic meter of water costs $1,85\text{ \$}$, what is the economic value of the lost water?
Solve
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A wall clock gains $18\text{ seconds}$ every $4\text{ hours}$. If it is set to the exact time on March $1$ at $12:00$ noon, what time will this clock show when the real…

A wall clock gains $18\text{ seconds}$ every $4\text{ hours}$. If it is set to the exact time on March $1$ at $12:00$ noon, what time will this clock show when the real time is exactly $12:00$ noon on March $11$? Give the answer in hours, minutes and seconds.

Solve

Degrees, minutes, and seconds

Angles use the same base-60 idea. A degree is divided into minutes ($'$), and each minute into seconds ($''$). These are not the same as time minutes and seconds, but the arithmetic is identical.

A right angle split by a ray into a 35 degree angle and its unknown complement. 35° ? 35° + ? = 90°

To subtract from $90^\circ$ or $180^\circ$ with minutes and seconds, rewrite them first: $90^\circ = 89^\circ\,59'\,60''$ and $180^\circ = 179^\circ\,59'\,60''$. Then subtract column by column, with no borrowing.

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Two angles are complementary if their sum is $90^\circ$. Calculate the angle missing from each of the following to be complementary: a) $\hat{A} = 35^\circ$ b)…

Two angles are complementary if their sum is $90^\circ$. Calculate the angle missing from each of the following to be complementary:

  1. a) $\hat{A} = 35^\circ$
  2. b) $\hat{B} = 52^\circ$ $30'$
  3. c) $\hat{C} = 89^\circ$
35° ? 90°
Solve

Dividing angles and polygons

Adding and subtracting angles works like time. To divide an angle by a whole number, divide the degrees first. Turn any remainder into minutes (×60) and add it to the minutes, then divide again, and do the same for seconds.

The sum of the interior angles of a polygon with $n$ sides is $S = (n - 2) \cdot 180^\circ$. In a regular polygon all the angles are equal, so one interior angle is $S \div n$.

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A graphic designer is drawing the logo for a new app. The logo uses a main angle of $125^\circ \ 40' \ 12''$. a) The designer needs to divide that angle into three equal…

A graphic designer is drawing the logo for a new app. The logo uses a main angle of $125^\circ \ 40' \ 12''$.

  1. a) The designer needs to divide that angle into three equal parts to create a fan effect. What will be the size of each of the three resulting angles?
  2. b) What is the supplementary angle of the original angle?
125° 40' 12" ? x x x
Solve
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Calculate the size of the interior angle of a regular polygon with $9$ sides (nonagon). Express the result in complex form (degrees, minutes and seconds). Remember that…

Calculate the size of the interior angle of a regular polygon with $9$ sides (nonagon). Express the result in complex form (degrees, minutes and seconds). Remember that the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with $n$ sides is calculated using the formula: $S = (n - 2) \cdot 180^\circ$.

Solve

Back to the start: $2.5\ \text{h}$ is $2\ \text{h}\ 30\ \text{min}$, not $2\ \text{h}\ 50\ \text{min}$, because the decimal $0.5$ is half of $60$ minutes. And in the metric system, steps of $10$ (or $100$ for area, $1{,}000$ for volume) replace the steps of $60$.

Summary

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