The Metric System

NASA Says Human Error Caused Loss Of Mars Craft

October 1, 1999 1:43 a.m. PASADENA, Calif. (Reuters)
Human error stemming from space engineers using two sets of measurements - one utilizing miles and the other kilometers -- caused the loss of the Mars
Climate Orbiter spacecraft costing $125 million. The review board said that
in making a key change to the spacecraft's trajectory one team used the
English, or avoirdupois, system of measuring, which utilizes miles, yards,
feet and inches as well as pounds and ounces, while the other was using
metric kilometers, meters, kilograms and grams.
In a statement, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said, ``This information was
critical to the maneuvers required to place the spacecraft in the proper Mars
orbit.'' There are 1.6 kilometers to a mile and 1.1 yards in a meter, while
there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. At the time the spacecraft was lost, Mars
Climate Orbiter Project Manager Richard Cook said scientists had expected
that the orbiter would approach Mars at an altitude of between 87 and 93 miles
when it fact it came in at 37 miles above the surface of the planet. He said the
minimum survival altitude was 53 miles. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director
Edward Stone said, ``Our inability to recognize and correct this simple error
has had major implications."

Systems of Measurement:

The Metric System?

A system of measurement
Based on Multiples of 10
-meter, -liter, -gram, etc
Form of the International System
of Units
Conversions are universal:
100 centimeters in a meter and
1000 milliliters in a liter

The English System ?

Based on inches and pounds

Non-decimal (not a base 10)
Cannot transfer conversion
between quantities. e.e. 12 inches
in a foot and 16 ounces in a pint.

What is the metric system used for?

Measuring (mainly in business, trade, and science)

Distance (meter, kilometer)
Length (meter, centimeter)
Volume (liter)
Weight (gram, kilogram)
Temperature (celsius)

Who uses the metric system?

Scientists all over the world

Every-single-person-in-the-worldeveryday.
but...Americans

Why should we learn the Metric System?

Crucial for Scientific Fields

US businesses are competing in international markets where the metric
system is prevalent.

More Accurate than English measurements

Its actually easier to use !
So we do not end up costing the US $125 Million..or more !

Examples:

If you have:

But you want:

Multiply by:

You Have

You want

centimeters

inches

0.3937

8 cm

Inches

feet

meters

0.3048

4 feet

meters

gallons (U.S.)

liters

3.7853

4.5
gallons

liters

grams

pounds

inches

millimeters

25.4 3.4 inches Millimeters

inches

centimeters

2.54

kilometers

miles

liters

0.002205 .5 grams

pounds

7 inches

Cm

0.6214

65
kilometers

Miles

gallons (U.S.)

0.2642

4 liters

gallons

liters

pints (liquid)

2.1134 3.2 liters

liters

quarts (liquid)

1.0567

6 liters

Pints

Quarts

???????????

Answer:

meters

feet

3.2808 4 meters

Feet

meters

miles

0.0006214

400
meters

miles

meters

yards

1.0936

13.7
meters

Yards

miles

kilometers

1.6093

45 miles

Kilometers

miles

feet

5280

2 miles

feet

millimeters

inches

pounds

ounces

pints (liquid)

liters

0.4732

ounces

pounds

0.0625 12 ounces

quarts (liquid)

liters

0.9463

yards

meters

0.9144 12.7 yards

yards

miles

0.0394 1000 mm

Inches

16 2 pounds

Ounces

4 pints

4 quarts

0.0005682 300 yards

Liters

Pounds

liters

Meters

Miles

Conversion Tables and Methods to Use when converting

from Metric Units to Metric Units (Volume)

Some terms to remember

Meter Length

Kilo Thousand

Liter Volume

Milli Thousand

Gram Mass/Weight

Centi Hundred

Celsius Temperature

Deci Ten

Measure of Volumes
10 milliliters (ml) =
10 centiliters =
1 liter =
1 milliliter =
1 liter =
100 centiliter =
1000 liters =

1 centiliter (cl)
1 deciliter (dl) = 100 milliliters
1000 milliliters
1 cubic centimeter
1000 cubic centimeters
1 liter (L) = 1,000 milliliters
1 kiloliter (km)
Operations for Volume

Example: To get Milliliters from Liters you Multiply the Liters by 1000

You Have: 2 Liters

You want Cubic Centimeters: So, Cubic Centimeters = 23 Liters

We Multiply the liters by 100:

You want Cubic Centimeters: So, Cubic Centimeters = 23 Liters There are
2000 milliliters and 2000 Cucbic Centimeters (CCs) in 2 liters

If you have this

Do this

To get this

milliliters (ml) or CCs

Divide by 10 (ml/10)

centiliter (cl)

centiliters (cl)

Multiply by 10 (cl * 10)

Milliliters (ml)

Liters (L)

Multiply by 1000 (L * 100)

Milliliters (mL) or CCs

Liters (L)

Multiply by 100 (L * 100)

Centiliters (cl)

Centiliters (cl)

Divide by 100 (cl/100)

Liters (L)

Milliliters (ml) or CCs

Divide by 1000 (ml/1000)
Liters (L)
Conversion Tables and Methods to Use when converting
from Metric Units to Metric Units (Length)

Some terms to remember

Meter Length

Kilo Thousand

Liter Volume

Milli Thousand

Gram Mass/Weight

Centi Hundred

Celsius Temperature

Deci Ten

Measure of Lengths
10 millimeters (mm) =
10 centimeters =
100 centimeter =
1000 meters =

1 centimeter (cm)
1 decimeter (dm) = 100 millimeters
1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters
1 kilometer (km)

Operations for Length

Example: To get Centimeters from Meters you multiply the Meters by 10

You Have: 23 Meters

You want Centimters: So, Centimeters = 23 Meters

We Multiply the meters by 100:

You want Centimters: So, Centimeters = 23 Meters

There are 2300 centimeters in 23 meters or 100 centimeters for every meter.

If you have this

millimeters (mm)

Do this
Divide by 10 (mm/10)

To get this
centimeter (cm)

centimeters (cm)
Meters (m)
Centimeters (cm)
Millimeters (mm)

Multiply by 10 (cm * 10)

Multiply by 100 (m * 100)
Divide by 100 (cm/100)
Divide by 1000 (mm/1000)

Millimeters (mm)
Centimeters (cm)
Meters (m)
Meters (m)

10 millimeters (mm) = 1 centimeter (cm)

10 centimeters = 1 decimeter (dm) = 100 millimeters
100 centimeter = 1 meter (m) = 1,000 millimeters
1000 meters = 1 kilometer (km)
1 liter = 1000 milliliters
1 milliliter = 1 cubic centimeter
1 liter = 1000 cubic centimeters
1,000 milliliters = 1 liter (L)
1000 liters = 1 kiloliter (km)

1,000 milligrams (mg) =

10 centigrams =
1 gram (g) =
1,000 grams =
1,000 kilograms =

If you have this

milligrams (mg)
Centigrams (cg)
Grams (g)
Centigrams (cm)
Milligrams (mg)

millimeters (mm)
centimeters (cm)

1 gram
100 milligrams (mg)
1,000 milligrams
1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000,000 mg
1,000,000 grams

Do this
Divide by 10 (mg/10)

To get this
centigram (cg)

Multiply by 10 (cg * 10)

Multiply by 100 (g * 100)
Divide by 100 (cg/100)
Divide by 1000 (mg/1000)
Divide by 10 (mm/10)

Milligrams (mg)
Centigrams (cg)
Grams (g)
Grams (g)
centimeter (cm)

Multiply by 10 (cm * 10)

Millimeters (mm)

Meters (m)
Centimeters (cm)
Millimeters (mm)

Multiply by 100 (m * 100)

Divide by 100 (cm/100)
Divide by 1000 (mm/1000)

Centimeters (cm)
Meters (m)
Meters (m)

milliliters (ml) or CCs

centiliters (cl)
Liters (L)
Liters (L)
Centiliters (cl)
Milliliters (ml) or CCs

Divide by 10 (ml/10)
Multiply by 10 (cl * 10)
Multiply by 1000 (L * 100)
Multiply by 100 (L * 100)
Divide by 100 (cl/100)
Divide by 1000 (ml/1000)

centiliter (cl)
Milliliters (ml)
Milliliters (mL) or CCs
Centiliters (cl)
Liters (L)
Liters (L)

Tricks
Multiply by 10 (x 10) Move decimal one place to the right
Multiply by 100 (x 100) Move decimal two places to the right
Multiply by 1000 (x 1000) Move decimals three places to the right
Divide by 10 ( / 10) Move Decimal one place to Left
Divide by 100 ( / 100) Move decimal two places to the left.
Divide by 1000 ( / 1000) Move decimal three places to the left.
5 steps to not-making a $125 Million Dollar Mistakeor worse
1. Step 1: Multiplication and Division by "powers of ten"
Multiplication:
What do you notice
about the zeroes in
the answer?

32 x 10 = 320
32 x 100 = 3200
32 x 0.1 = 3.2
32 x 0.01 = 0.32
32 x 0.001 = 0.032

Division:

32 / 10 = 3.2
32 divided by 10

32 / 100 = 0.32

= 32/10

32 / 1000 = 0.032

= 32 x 0.1 = 3.2

2.
3. Step 2: Conversion Factors
Conversion factors: The number (The factor) you need to multiply or divide by
to CONVERT from one unit of measurement to another.

Example: Converting from centimeter to meter requires dividing by 100 and

converting meter to centimeters requires multiplying by 100. Hence 100 is the
conversion factor in these two scenarios.
Another way to look at it: There are 100 centimeters for every meter

100 cm per 1 m or

Convert 4.5 meters to centimeters (4.5 x 100 = 450) or (450cm

/ 100 = 4.5 m)

1.
2. Step 3: More conversion factors (not powers of ten)
Conversion factors can be other numbers than ten. The metric system is
based on powers of ten (a decimal system) but conversion factors are
knows to help convert from other systems of measurement. Like 2.54
centimters is equal to 1 inch (2.54 cm = 1 inch). Therefore 2.54 is the
conversion factor for centimeters to inches.

There are 2.54 centimeters in every inch or 2.54 cm per 1 inch or

3 inches = ?? centimeters.

3inches x 2.54cm = 7.62 cm

3. Step 4: Practice.Practice.Practice..Converting from different

measurements. Notice similarities in units.Try these
1000 cubic centimeters = 1 liter (1.3 liters = _________ cubic
centimeters)
1 mile = 1.609 kilometers (3 miles = _____________ kilometers)

4. Step 5: Make or find a tool for conversions to avoid the $125 Million
dollar mistake.

chart or table (see worksheet)

electronic spreadsheet (Excel)
web based converters and tools
EVALUATION --- METRIC UNIT

Give TWO reasons why YOU should use the metric system:
1.
2.
3.
4.

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The metric system uses powers of _________________.
How much money could you save US taxpayers by learning the metric
system?

Complete this Metric Metric chart: (#5 - #9)

5 Meters =

?? __________ ?? Centimeters

4500 Cubic Centimeters =

?? __________ ?? Liters

4.3 kilograms =

?? __________ ?? milligrams

7000 milligrams =

?? __________ ?? grams

3.4 liters =

?? __________ ?? milliliters

Place the letters of the units of measurement next to what they measure
(THERE ARE TWO LETTERS FOR EACH ANSWER) (#10 - #15)

Length ___________ _____________

a. meters

e. feet

Volume ____________ ______________

b. kilograms

f. pounds

c. milliliters

g. kilometers

d. gallons

h. cubic
centimeters

Mass (Weight) ___________ ______________

Complete this Metric NonMetric Chart: (#16 - #20)

5 grams =

?? __________ ?? pounds

45 Kilometers =

?? __________ ?? Miles

6 liters =

?? __________ ?? Gallons

14 centimeters =

?? __________ ?? Inches

3.5 pints =

?? __________ ?? Liters

17. A Tool of your own making for converting units (Chart or

Spreadsheet):
18. Describe in two sentences how you used the INTERNET to learn about
the metric system:

Conversion Tables and Methods to Use when converting

from Metric Units to Metric Units (weight)

Gram Length

Kilo Thousand

Liter Volume

Milli Thousand

Gram Mass/Weight

Centi Hundred

Celsius Temperature

Deci Ten
Measure of Weights
Weight/Mass

1,000 milligrams (mg) =

10 centigrams =
1 gram (g) =
1,000 grams =
1,000 kilograms =

1 gram
100 milligrams (mg)
1,000 milligrams
1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000,000 mg
1,000,000 grams
Operations for Weight

Example: To get Milligrams from grams you multiply the grams by 1000

You Have: 23 grams

You want milligrams: So, milligrams = 23 Grams

We Multiply the grams by 1000:

You want milligrams: So, milligrams = 23 Grams

There are 2300 milligrams in 23 grams or 100 centigrams for every gram.

If you have this

milligrams (mg)

Do this
Divide by 10 (mg/10)

centigrams (cg)

Move Decimal one place to Left

Milligrams (mg)
Multiply by 10 (cg * 10)

Grams (g)
Centigrams (cm)

Move decimal one place to the

right
Multiply by 100 (g * 100)
Divide by 100 (cg/100)

Milligrams (mg)

Move decimal two places to the

left.
Divide by 1000 (mg/1000)
Move decimal three places to the
left.

To get this
centigram (cg)

Centigrams (cg)

Grams (g)
Grams (g)