Google
INSTANT METRIC
eBook
PAGE 2
TABLE of CONTENTS
PAGE 3
Evolution of
Archaic Measurement
PAGE 4 - Inch-Pound
PAGE 6 - "SI" Relates
PAGE 8
The Metric System
PAGE 10 - Prefixes
PAGE 11 - Symbols
PAGE 12
Everyday Base Units
PAGE 13 - meter
PAGE 15 - centimeter
PAGE 17 - millimeter 
PAGE 19 - kilometer
PAGE 21 - liter
PAGE 22 - milliliter
PAGE 24 - kilogram
PAGE 26 - gram
PAGE 28 - milligram
PAGE 29 - tonne
PAGE 31 
Temperature 
PAGE 32
7 Base Units
PAGE 34
HOW THE METRIC SYSTEM WORKS
PAGE 35 - Summary
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
FREE METRIC POSTERS
METRIC EXAMS!
INSTANT METRIC CONVERSION TABLES
United Metric States
 
 

Page 11

SYMBOLS
Identify Prefix and Base or Derived Unit of Measure TOGETHER

BASE and
Derived UNIT
SYMBOL

meter  m
liter  L
kilogram  kg

PREFIX SYMBOL
for
EVERYDAY USE

m  milli is 1 one thousandth (0.001)
c  centi  is 1 one hundredth (0.01)
k  kilo is 1000 times as much


WRITING IS EASY

Simply place the prefix in front of the
base or derived unit
like mm (millimeter), cm (centimeter),
km (kilometer) or mg (milligram) kg (kilogram)
or mL (milliliter) for example.

The size or quantity is indicated by the
first letter or prefix symbol and the second letter
or symbol identifies the base or derived unit.

Note: Where symbols are used convention has it that they are always lower case letters except where the Base Unit is named after a person like Celsius (°C), Pascal (P) or
Newton (N). Then the symbol is noted by a CAPITAL LETTER.

What's with a capital letter "L" for liter when the capital letter is supposed to be for a persons name?

As technology came along it became apparent that typewriters were not equipped with the script so attempts were made
to use the lower case "l" (el).
   Then it became further confusing to write "1l"
(lower case "el") as the "1" and "l" (el) looked too similar
as did the capital "I" (eye).
   So the capital "L" was chosen as the symbol for
the derived base unit "liter".

...to PAGE 12

Google