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METRIC LENGTHS Here's a mnemonic aid sent in (9/00) by Barbara D. Martin for the relationship between different metric lengths, and teaching how far to move the decimal point, and in what direction, when converting lengths within the metric system:
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Man
In the metric system of measurements, the principal unit for length is the meter; the principal unit for capacity the liter; and the principal unit for weight the gram. To convert from one unit of length to another just move the decimal point as many places to the left or right as indicated in the mnemonic sentence/chart. For example:
Change 3450 cm to mm -
The mnemonic sentence/chart is one way to convert a measurement to smaller
(or larger) units of the same length, but what you're actually doing
mathematically is dividing (or multiplying) by 10 (or a power of 10, such
as 1000 etc). Two more short mnemonics can help to summarise this process:
S L o w D o w n:
Lost Some Money?: A separate page has a useful mnemonic for teaching young students about moving decimal places when multiplying or dividing. Alternative mnemonics describing metric lengths are:
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Cow Milking.
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