Introduction
What is the metric system? Why do we have two systems of measurement?
Goal:
Goal:
The metric system of units is another set of units to show measurements. It uses different units than the customary system of units. In the United States, the metric system is often used in science and math, while other countries prefer the metric system as their main system of measurement. Since it is used in so many countries, it is often called the International System of Units, or SI for short.
Just like with the customary system of units, the metric system also has “base” units, which are used to refer to a specific kind of measurement. Study the chart below to learn some of the SI units.
| Type of Measurement | Base Unit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| time | second | s |
| length | meter | m |
| current | ampere | A |
| temperature | Kelvin | K |
| luminous intensity (light) | candela | Cd |
| amount of a substance | mole | mol |
In this lesson, we will focus on converting between different units of measure for different measurement types. For now, we will focus on length (meters), weight (kilograms), and volume (liters).