{"id":142,"date":"2023-01-06T18:26:24","date_gmt":"2023-01-06T23:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/chapter\/conversion-within-the-metric-system\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T15:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T20:33:10","slug":"conversion-within-the-metric-system","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/math024\/chapter\/conversion-within-the-metric-system\/","title":{"raw":"Topic D: Conversion within the Metric System","rendered":"Topic D: Conversion within the Metric System"},"content":{"raw":"In this topic, you will learn a quick method to change (convert) between different units with the same base. In the conversion, the number and the prefix both change; the length or mass or volume of the object is not<\/strong> changed \u2013 only the way we express the measurement changes.\r\n\r\nAre you a visual learner? If you are, then ask your instructor to show you the next skill. It will save you a lot of frustration. You may learn this skill much faster with a real life example.\r\n

Converting Within the Metric System Using the Chart<\/h1>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Chart of Metric Prefixes and Place Value in the Decimal Number System<\/caption>\r\n
Metric Prefixes<\/th>\r\nkilo<\/th>\r\nhecto<\/th>\r\ndeca<\/th>\r\nBASE UNIT<\/th>\r\ndeci<\/th>\r\ncenti<\/th>\r\nmilli<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Mass<\/th>\r\nkg<\/td>\r\nhg<\/td>\r\ndag<\/td>\r\ng<\/td>\r\ndg<\/td>\r\ncg<\/td>\r\nmg<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Volume<\/th>\r\nkL<\/td>\r\nhL<\/td>\r\ndaL<\/td>\r\nL<\/td>\r\ndL<\/td>\r\ncL<\/td>\r\nmL<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Length<\/th>\r\nkm<\/td>\r\nhm<\/td>\r\ndam<\/td>\r\nm<\/td>\r\ndm<\/td>\r\ncm<\/td>\r\nmm<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Place Value<\/th>\r\n1000<\/span><\/td>\r\n100<\/td>\r\n10<\/td>\r\n1<\/td>\r\n0.1<\/td>\r\n0.01<\/td>\r\n0.001<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
\r\n

Example A<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nA book weighs 12 g. Convert this amount to mg.\r\n