The Mathematics of Money

Copyright © 2008, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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The Metric System

Overview

The metric system is a decimalized system of measurement in which each unit of measure is 10 times as large

as the previous unit. Its units of measure are based on the meter, the gram, and the liter. While the United States

and the United Kingdom both continue to use measurement systems based on old English units (referred to here

as U.S. measures), most of the rest of the world uses the metric system.

Metric Units of Measure

Length

The standard unit of length in the metric system is the meter (abbreviated as m). Other units of length and their

equivalents in meters are as follows:

1 millimeter = 0.001 meter; abbreviated as 1 mm

1 centimeter = 0.01 meter; abbreviated as 1 cm

1 decimeter = 0.1 meter; abbreviated as 1 dm

1 kilometer = 1,000 meters; abbreviated as 1 km

One meter is slightly longer than 1 yard or 3 feet. A centimeter is slightly less than half an inch. A millimeter is

about the thickness of a dime.

Volume

The standard unit of volume in the metric system is the liter (abbreviated as l). One liter is equal to 1,000 cubic

centimeters in volume. Other units of volume and their equivalents in liters are as follows:

1 milliliter = 0.001 liter; abbreviated as 1 ml

1 centiliter = 0.01 liter; abbreviated as 1 cl

1 deciliter = 0.1 liter; abbreviated as 1 dl

1 kiloliter = 1,000 liters; abbreviated as 1 kl

One liter is slightly more than 1 quart. One teaspoon equals about 5 milliliters.

Mass

The standard unit of mass in the metric system is the gram (abbreviated as g). Other units of mass and their

equivalents in grams are as follows:

1 milligram = 0.001 gram; abbreviated as 1 mg

1 centigram = 0.01 gram; abbreviated as 1 cg

1 decigram = 0.1 gram; abbreviated as 1 dg

1 kilogram = 1,000 grams; abbreviated as 1 kg

One gram is approximately the mass of a paper clip. One kilogram is approximately the mass of a liter of water.

U.S. Units of Measure

Length

In the United States, length is measured in four units: inch, foot, yard, and mile.

Inch; abbreviated as in

1 foot = 12 inches; abbreviated as ft

1 yard = 3 feet; abbreviated as yd

1 mile = 5,280 feet; abbreviated as mi

Appendix B

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