When converting from one metric unit to another...?

Question

When converting from one metric unit to another, what procedure do you follow when going from (a) a larger unit to a smaller unit? (b) a smaller unit to a larger unit?

Answer 1

The metric system is also a decimal system. If that is what you're asking. All the prefixes designate multiples/fractions of 10 of the other prefixes. I.E. milli means one tenth of centi which is one tenth of deci which is one tenth of the unit [usually meter, liter or gram].
To help convert try to remember the sentence
King Henry Died Mary/Liz/Guen Didn't Care Much.
King = Kilo 1,000 or 10^3
Henry = Hecto 100 or 10^2
Died = Deca 10 or 10^1
Mary = meter/Liz = liter/Guen = gram 1 or 10^0
Didn't = deci or 1/10 or 10^-1
Care = centi or 1/100 or 10^-2
Much = milli or 1/1000 or 10^-3

Writing the leters out from the sentance:
K H D M/L/G d c m

Say you have 8 Kilograms and need to know how many milligrams that is.
Count from the K over how many times to put the decimal after the m. 6 times. So, 8 Kilograms equals 8,000,000mg. This works in either direction, just remember to add the appropriate number of zeros.

Answer 2

10 millimeters= 1 centimeter
10 centimeters= 1 decimeter

so if you have 20 millimeters and you want to know how many centimeters that is you divide the 20 by 10, and your answer will be 2.

Answer 3

metric system is based on 1,000
a kilogram = 1,000 grams
so, for the most part, moving the decimal point three spaces will give the desired change.