M3.6.1 For the adult
Changing metric units
How many metres are there in 3.5 kilometres?
What this chapter teaches
Metric units fit together by tens, hundreds and thousands. Going to a smaller unit, the number gets bigger and you multiply. Going to a bigger unit, the number gets smaller and you divide.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- How many metres are in 3.5 km, and how did you work it out?
- When you change grams to kilograms, do you multiply or divide, and why?
- Is 2 000 cm longer or shorter than 1.5 km?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Change 3.5 km into metres and 450 mm into centimetres
- Change between grams, kilograms and tonnes
What they copy into their notebook
Down the ladder: multiply. Up the ladder: divide. 1 km = 1 000 m. 1 m = 100 cm. 1 cm = 10 mm. 1 t = 1 000 kg. 1 kg = 1 000 g.