Abbreviate metric units of measurement

Learning Objectives Identify the full names and abbreviations for the base metric units: meter (m), liter (L), and gram (g). Recognize the common metric prefixes kilo-, centi-, and milli- and their corresponding letters. Correctly form abbreviations for combined units like kilometer (km), milliliter (mL), and centigram (cg). Apply the rule that metric abbreviations do not use a period. Apply the rule that metric abbreviations are the same for singular and plural amounts. Use correct metric abbreviations in their own complex sentences. Differentiate between lowercase abbreviations and the capitalized 'L' for liter. Have you ever seen 'km' on a road sign or 'mL' on a juice box and wondered what those secret codes mean? 🤔 Let's learn how to...

TermDefinitionExample AbbreviationA shortened form of a word used to save space and time.The abbreviation for 'Mister' is 'Mr.' Metric SystemA system of measurement based on units of ten, used by most countries around the world.Meters, liters, and grams are all part of the metric system. Base UnitThe main unit of measurement without any prefix attached.For measuring length, the base unit is 'meter'. PrefixA letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a base unit to change its value.The prefix 'kilo-' means one thousand. A 'kilometer' is one thousand meters. Meter (m)The base unit for measuring length or distance.A standard guitar is about 1 meter long. Liter (L)The base unit for measuring liquid volume.A carton of milk often holds...

No Period, No Problem Metric abbreviations do not end with a period (unless it is the last word in a sentence). Unlike abbreviations like 'Dr.' or 'St.', metric abbreviations like 'cm' or 'kg' should not have a period after them. For example, write '10 kg' not '10 kg.'. One or Many, It's All the Same The abbreviation stays the same for both singular and plural amounts. You never add an 's' to a metric abbreviation. You would write '1 m' for one meter and '50 m' for fifty meters, not '50 ms'. Case Matters: Big L, Little Letters Most metric abbreviations are lowercase, but Liter is a capital 'L'. Use lowercase for meter (m) and gram (g) and their prefixes...