Metric Basics


The three basic metric units are the meter (length), the gram (weight), and the liter (volume). The key to metric prefixes are:
  • 1000 = kilo
  • 100 = hecto
  • 10 = deca
  • 0.1 = deci
  • 0.01 = centi
  • 0.001 milli

COMMON MEASUREMENTS

Length
1 kilometer = 0.62137 mi
1 meter = 3.2808 ft
1 centimeter = 0.3937 in
1 mile = 1.6093 km
1 foot = 0.3048 m
1 inch = 2.54 cm


Weight
1 kilogram = 2.2046 lbs
1 gram = 0.0353 oz
1 short ton = 907.1847 kilos
1 pound = 0.4536 kilos
1 ounce = 28.3495 g


Volume
1 hectoliter = 100 l = 0.1 m³ = 26.4172 gal
1 liter = 100 cl = 1 dm³ = 1.0567 qt
1 gallon (U.S.) = 3.7853 l
1 cubic inch = 16.3871 cm³


Area
1 square kilometer = 1 million m² = 0.3861 mi²
1 hectare = 10,000 m² = 2.471 acres
1 square meter = 10.7639 ft² = 1550.003 in²
1 square mile = 640 acres = 258.9988 ha²
1 square foot = 144 in² = 929.0304 cm²


EASY CONVERSIONS

  Symbol If You Know Multiply By To Find Symbol
Length mm
cm
m
m
km
in
ft
yd
mi
millimeters
centimeters
meters
meters
kilometers
inches
feet
yard
miles
0.03937
0.3937
3.3
1.1
0.6
2.54
30.48
0.9
1.6
inches
inches
feet
yards
miles
centimeters
centimeters
meters
kilometers
in
in
ft
yd
mi
cm
cm
m
km
Area cm²

km²
ha²
in²
ft²
yd²
mi²
square centimeters
square meters
square kilometers
hectares (10,000 m2)
square inches
square feet
square yard
square miles
0.16
1.2
0.4
2.5
6.5
0.09
0.8
2.6
square inches
square yards
square miles
acres
sq. centimeters
square meters
square meters
sq. kilomters
in²
yd²
mi²

cm²


km²
Weight g
kg
t
oz
lb
grams
kilograms
tonnes (1,000 kq)
ounces
pounds
0.035
2.2046
1.1
28.3495
0.45
ounce
pounds
short tons
grams
kilograms
oz
lb

g
kg
Volume ml
l
l
l


tsp
tbsp
fl oz
c
pt
qt
gal
ft³
yd³
milliliters
liters
liters
liters
cubic meters
cubic meters
teaspoons
tablespoons
fluid ounces
cups
pints
quarts
gallons
cubic feet
cubic yards
0.03
2.1
1.06
0.26
35.314
1.3
5
15
30
0.24
0.47
0.95
3.8
0.03
0.76
fluid ounces
pints
quarts
gallons
cubic feet
cubic yards
millimeters
millimeters
millimeters
liters
liters
liters
liters
cubic meters
cubic meters
fl oz
pt
qt
gal
ft³
yd³
ml
ml
ml
l
l
l
l